Honoring the Big Dog Daddy.
Tonight at the CMT Awards, two-time World Series champion pitcher Roger Clemens took to the stage to honor his friend Toby Keith during an all-star tribute that featured Brooks & Dunn, Sammy Hagar and Lainey Wilson performing some of Toby’s biggest hits.
The legendary Toby Keith, of course, passed away on February 5th after a two-year battle with stomach cancer, and was recently selected for the 2024 class to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
And Clemens had a hard time holding it together during the emotional tribute, choking up as he spoke directly to Toby’s family in the crowd:
“Shelly, Krystal, Steel-man, Thank you for sharing your dad with all of us.
Trish, we love you. Thank you for sharing your husband with the world Trish. Thank you.”
Clemens then led the crowd in a toast (with red Solo cups, of course) to the legendary Toby Keith.
Only way to have a #CMTAwards Toby Keith tribute is with a toast 🍻 pic.twitter.com/d3f5mpsvoX
— CMT (@CMT) April 8, 2024
God bless the Big Dog Daddy.
Brooks & Dunn Accused Of Butchering “Should’ve Been A Cowboy”
Everyone has an off night once in a while, eh?
Tonight’s whatever-annual CMT Music Awards have been pretty much a complete snoozefest. CoJo kicked it off with some fire, Jelly Roll gave another round of good speeches, Lainey Wilson is always fun to watch, but overall… complete waste of time.
But if it’s so lame, why are you watching it? Good question…
Honestly, the only part of this ridiculous music video awards show (does CMT even play music videos anymore?) that piqued my interest was the tribute to the late, great Big Dog Daddy himself, Toby Keith.
And I have to say… it was pretty flat.
Roger Clemens and Sammy Hagar were two of Toby’s good friends, but for a country music awards show it seems a little out of left field (no pun intended). Lainey is Lainey… she’s always entertaining, but ol’ Kix and Ronnie seemed like they found out about the performance five minutes before they went on stage.
Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE me some Brooks and Dunn, they put on one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to and Ronnie Dunn still can sing with the best of them, but the timing, the fumbled lyrics… everything was just a bit off.
.@brooksanddunn paid tribute to Toby Keith on the #CMTAwards stage with a performance of "Should've Been a Cowboy" 🤍 pic.twitter.com/r5y9PMUmnH
— CMT (@CMT) April 8, 2024
And the folks were letting them hear it on X (formerly known as Twitter):
I don't want to talk bad about Brooks & Dunn but…were they having trouble keeping up with the teleprompter or something on that one? #CMTAwards
— Aaron (@_AaronRyan) April 8, 2024
Brooks & Dunn not knowing the words to Should’ve been a cowboy while “honoring” Toby Keith is disgraceful. Should’ve had @RileyGreenMusic do it #CMTAwards
— Brock (@B_Hamm17) April 8, 2024
How the hell does Brooks & Dunn not know the words to Should’ve Been a Cowboy, they butchered that so bad…. What a terrible tribute to Toby Keith #CMTAwards
— Michael (@Be_Likee_Mike) April 8, 2024
How does Brooks & Dunn mess up Should’ve Been A Cowboy while honoring Toby Keith…. Awful.
Can’t do my guy Toby like that! #CMTAwards ❤️❤️🩹
— Jessica Audette (@jaudette32) April 8, 2024
Toby Keith tribute on the #CMTMusicAwards
Brooks & Dunn tad bit off but loved seeing Toby’s band.
— JD Shelburne (@JDSHELBURNE) April 8, 2024
Brooks & Dunn absolutely BUTCHERING Toby Keith
— Meals on Wheels (@shane__miles) April 8, 2024
Was Brooks & Dunn drunk?! High?! Confused?! Blind to the lyrics on the screen?!
— TG 👑 (@TGBtweetss) April 8, 2024
Brooks & Dunn butchering Toby Keith #yikes
— Layton Pace (@wheelinMcFly) April 8, 2024
Brooks & Dunn are incredible but what is this performance? What in the hell is happening? #CMTAwards
— Ozzie (@OzzieR89) April 8, 2024
I’m as big a Brooks & Dunn fan as any other 90s kid…but this cover tribute ain’t it 😬😬 #CMTAwards
— Amber Dawn (@amber_moonrise) April 8, 2024
I remember the lyrics to this song differently than Brooks & Dunn #CMTMusicAwards
— Jimmy (@halkitzmiller) April 8, 2024
Have Brooks & Dunn ever heard Should’ve Been A Cowboy before😳 #tobykeith #cmt #CMTAwards
— Aaron Stanley (@astanley79) April 8, 2024
And like I said, everybody has an off night here and there, but with it being a tribute to a legend like Toby Keith, you really want to bring your A-game.
It just goes to show you how great Toby Keith really was… you just can’t do him justice with any ol’ cover.





