Watch: Blake Shelton says 'there'll never be another Toby Keith' on NBC tribute special
"There'll never be another Toby Keith," fellow Oklahoman Blake Shelton declares in the new television special "Toby Keith: American Icon."
Ahead of the premiere of the two-hour concert special at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 28, on NBC, the network shared on social media a clip of Shelton's heartfelt tribute to Keith.
"When I was just a baby artist coming up in the music industry, Toby was the first major artist to give me a chance, and I think it was because I was a fellow Okie. I looked up to Toby, and I learned a lot from being around him," Shelton says in the clip.
A member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and Oklahoma Hall of Fame, Keith died Feb. 5 at age 62 after a multiyear battle with stomach cancer.
.@BlakeShelton's heartfelt tribute to @TobyKeith ?? watch the two-hour special Toby Keith: American Icon Wednesday, August 28 at 9pm ET on NBC and streaming on @peacock. pic.twitter.com/8hwGHYNPcR
— NBC Entertainment (@nbc) August 27, 2024
A star-studded lineup of country music stars pays homage to the Norman-based superstar on the "Toby Keith: American Icon" special, which was recorded July 29 in front of a sold-out audience at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena.
Fellow Oklahoma superstar Carrie Underwood and country hitmakers Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Jelly Roll, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson and more came together to perform hits by the late Sooner State superstar.
Keith's widow, Tricia Covel, and their three children attended the show, with Krystal Keith performing his emotional ode "Don't Let the Old Man In."
Along with Shelton, Dolly Parton, Carrot Top, Stephen Colbert, George Strait, General Jones, Willie Nelson, Sammy Hagar, Miranda Lambert, Brett Favre and fellow Oklahoma country music superstar Reba McEntire are listed among the guests and speakers to appear on the special.
After debuting on NBC, "Toby Keith: American Icon" will stream the next day on Peacock.
During his three-decade career, Keith amassed 42 Top 10 hits and 33 No. 1 singles, sold 44 million albums and earned more than 10 billion streams.
The singer-songwriter, who was born in Clinton and grew up in Moore, was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame just before his death in February and will be posthumously inducted into the hallowed hall in October.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Blake Shelton salutes 'fellow Okie' Toby Keith on new NBC special
