Prior to his September 11th anniversary show at Fort Polk in Lousiana, country legend Toby Keith took to his Instagram to show his appreciation to those who continue to sacrifice so much to keep our country safe.
“Honored to have some of the best of the best helping us load in for the show tonight in Fort Polk, LA. #CountryComesToTownTour,” Toby Keith shared.
Toby Keith also shared some snapshots of the troops helping to set up the show. Along with his Instagram post, Toby Keith shared a video of the performance on Twitter. “Folk Polk, LA…brought to you courtesy of the red, white, and blue. Thank you to those stationed at Fort Polk and to all who have served.”
Toby Keith Talks Performing For the Troops & His Hit Single ‘Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue’
During a 2004 interview with the Baltimore Sun, Toby Keith spoke about his support for the troops, as well as performing for them. “This is a tremendous honor to the troops. We get so desensitized seeing them on the news every night that we forget that under the helmet is a mind, under the camouflage is a heart.”
Toby Keith then stated that the soldiers put it all on the line for the U.S. He shared more details about his song American Soldier. “The song was a tribute, but it also said to my critics, ‘Now get up and say something about this ignorant redneck.’”
In regards to his hit single Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American), which was released less than a year after the September 11th attacks happened and the War in Afghanistan began. “The song wasn’t written for everybody. It was a gift from me to the military guys. I knew I was gonna run into my liberal critics with that song. But I did it. I’m proud I did it. I don’t look back.”
Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) made its debut in May 2002 as the lead single for Toby Keith’s album, Unleashed. The song topped the Billboard Hot Country Single & Tracks chart and even reached number 25 on Billboard Hot 100. Toby Keith spoke about his writing process by adding, “I start with an idea. I say, ‘Here’s a setting,’ and the song builds from there. It’s pretty easy.”
Toby Keith does admit that he completely understood why there were some people who said the U.S. shouldn’t be at war. “But I trust Bush’s cabinet more than I trust some Hollywood guy yelling, ‘Peace’ on some street corner. This is our government. If you don’t agree with it, you can live somewhere else.”