Put some damn respect on Toby Keith’s name.
The 2024 CMA Awards just wrapped up, the first edition of the ceremony since the passing of the legendary Toby Keith back in February following a 2-year battle with stomach cancer.
Since his passing, tributes have rightfully been pouring in, with the country music community quick to honor a man with twenty #1 hits, including classics like “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” “Red Solo Cup,” “As Good As I Once Was” and so many more.
Honestly it’s hard to describe the impact that Toby Keith had on country music, and it’s hard to describe just how incredible his songwriting really was. He may not get enough credit for it, but Toby could write a sad country song with the best of ’em, from songs like “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” and “He Ain’t Worth Missing” to his final hit, “Don’t Let The Old Man In.”
And not to mention everything that Toby did for our military and the country that he loved so much.
So it’s no wonder that so many incredible tributes to Toby Keith have taken place since his death.
The ACM Awards featured a surprisingly powerful stripped back version of “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” from Jason Aldean, while the CMT Music Awards over the summer featured a performance from Brooks & Dunn that drew mixed reviews…but nonetheless, they had a proper tribute, unlike the CMA Awards.
No, apparently all the CMA Awards could muster for one of the biggest country music superstars of the past 3 decades was couple of lazy, pre-written lines from hosts Luke Bryan, Lainey Wilson and Peyton Manning and a red solo cup toast before using the tribute to throw it to a performance from Shaboozey:
“‘Red Solo Cup,’ ‘I Love This Bar,’ I mean Toby had some great bar songs. And speaking of loving a bar, Shaboozey’s ‘A Bar Song’ was a big ol’ hit.”
cheers to you Toby Keith
#CMAawards pic.twitter.com/jLymF6EZmP— CMA Country Music (@CountryMusic) November 21, 2024
What an absolute joke.
Meanwhile, the show had time for two performances from Post Malone, a Teddy Swims duet with Thomas Rhett, and whatever the hell that was that Bailey Zimmerman did. And they even had time for an admittedly well done tribute to Tom Petty from Dierks Bentley and bluegrass stars Molly Tuttle, Sierra Hull and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes.
But three minutes for a performance honoring Toby Keith was apparently too much to squeeze in? Give me a damn break.
And I wasn’t the only one who felt that way, with Twitter erupting about the disrespect for Toby Keith from the awards show:
This was honestly embarrassing.
Toby Keith deserved more.
Do better CMA. https://t.co/BWase2Phr7— Emily Jones (@emily_jones1201) November 21, 2024
How is there no big tribute to Toby Keith?
Shame on @CountryMusic
— Dakota Moyer (@DakotaMoyer02) November 21, 2024
Dear @CountryMusic y’all should be so ashamed of yourselves. Tom Petty gets a spotlight but you didn’t even honor Toby Keith nor @joebonsall Seriously!!! Disgusting
— Donna (@DL_1939) November 21, 2024
@CountryMusic so nice they honored Toby Keith with a …..glorified intro to shaboozy? #CMAsAreTrash
— Curt (@SlimQuady85) November 21, 2024
@tobykeith deserved so much more. #CMAawards
— tricia despres (@CHIwriter) November 21, 2024
Amen. Shameful and disappointing from the Country Music Association – but unfortunately, not surprising given the way these awards shows have gone the past few years.
Gotta make sure Teddy Swims gets his performance in.
Do better, CMAs. Do much better.
Tom Petty gets a tribute performance, Toby Keith gets a line from a teleprompter during a Shaboozey intro. Love Tom Petty but for fuck's sake.#CMAawards
— Whiskey Riff (@WhiskeyRiff) November 21, 2024
