Toby Keith

TOBY Keith, who has died of cancer at 62, was the country musician behind pro-American anthems often reviled by critics but beloved by millions of fans.

He was known for his overt patriotism on post 9/11 songs like Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, and boisterous barroom tunes like I Love This Bar. He had a powerful, booming voice, a tongue-in-cheek sense of humour and range that carried love ballads as well as drinking songs.

Having broken through in the country boom years of the 1990s, he clashed with other celebrities and journalists and often pushed back against record executives who wanted to smooth his rough edges. His influences were other working class songwriters like Merle Haggard and he notched up more than 60 singles on the Hot Country chart over his career.

As a young man, Keith worked as a roughneck in the oil fields of Oklahoma, then played semi-pro football before launching his career as a singer.

Eventually his path took him to Nashville, where he attracted the interest of Mercury Records’ head Harold Shedd, who was best known as a producer for the hit group Alabama. Shedd brought him to Mercury, where he released his self-titled, platinum-selling debut record in 1993.

But the label’s focus on global star Shania Twain overshadowed the rest of the roster and Keith felt that the executives were trying to push him in a pop direction. After a series of albums that produced hits like Who’s That Man ,anda cover of Sting’s I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying, Keith moved to DreamWorks Records in 1999.

That’s when his hit How Do You Like Me Now?! took off and became his first song to cross over to Top 40 charts. In 2001, he won the male vocalist of the year and album of the year at the Academy of Country Music Awards.

Keith often wore his politics on his sleeve, especially after the terrorist attacks in 2001, and said he was a conservative Democrat, but later claimed he was an independent. He played at events for Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump. His songs and his blunt opinions sometimes caused him controversy, which he seemed to court.

Keith, who had acknowledged he holds onto grudges, walked out of the Country Music Awards in 2003 because he had been snubbed in earlier categories, causing him to miss out when he was announced as entertainer of the year.

His pro-military stance wasn’t just fodder for songs, however. He went on 18 USO tours to visit and play for troops. He also helped to raise millions for charity over his career, including building a home in Oklahoma City for children with cancer and their families.

After Universal Music Group acquired DreamWorks, Keith started anew again, starting his own record label, Show Dog, in 2005 with record executive Scott Borchetta.

He is survived by his wife, Tricia Lucus, and their three children.