The project features all songs solely penned by the country star
Singer, musician, entertainer, producer and entrepreneur Toby Keith has been successful in many areas, but there’s no question which carries the deepest meaning for him – songwriter. With the November 3rd release of 100% Songwriter on Mercury Nashville/UMe on vinyl and via DSPs, many of his most iconic solo-written songs have been collected in one package. Vinyl offerings include standard black, limited edition color vinyl exclusively available at Keith’s website, and red, white and blue splatter from Walmart.
Arguably one of the most successful self-directed recording artists of any era, Keith has had many hits with a wide array of co-writers and a handful from outside writers. Perhaps most impressive is how many of his most iconic songs he wrote by himself, which puts him in league with performing songwriters including Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton. For the 2015 all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame inductee, it all started the night he wrote his first single and No. 1 smash, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” in a motel bathroom in Dodge City, KS.
That song kicked off a career that has totaled 52 top 10 hits, 32 No. 1s, more than 40 million albums sold, 100 million airplay performances (BMI) and more than 10 billion streams. In addition to the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Keith was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, received the National Medal of Arts and was named BMI Icon. Thirty years after his debut, solo-written, smash single, his career will be celebrated in an extended editorial section of Country Aircheck’s October print special.
Shortly thereafter, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” which was just certified triple platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and a dozen more will be available on 100% Songwriter. The collection spans from his self-titled debut album through 2006’s White Trash With Money.
The video for “Who’s Your Daddy?” – which is featured on the album – has been released in a remastered HD format, with “Who’s That Man?” following next month. Throughout this past summer, half a dozen remastered music videos of other hits were also released. In the meantime, Keith will be honored as Country Icon at next week’s inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards, airing from Nashville on NBC.
Another track on 100% Songwriter, the newly RIAA certified quadruple platinum “Courtesy of the Red, White And Blue (The Angry American),” has its handwritten lyrics featured alongside Keith’s Takamine American Flag guitar and digital version of the song’s video in the traveling Songwriters Hall of Fame exhibit The Power Of A Song. The exhibit closed at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles on September 4th and will then be installed at Belmont University from September 28th through May 9th.
Having been off the road for the longest stretch of his career for health reasons, Keith is working his way back into performing shape. He recently performed two hometown pop-up concerts on consecutive nights, playing for two-plus hours at each. Also of late, he’s purchased and rebranded the iconic bait and tackle brand Luck E Strike, famous for its Redman Spinner Bait – among many others. Fans and sportfishing enthusiasts can pre-order t-shirts, sweatshirts, keychains and more here as the company ramps production on its new American-made product line, coming soon.
1. Should’ve Been A Cowboy
2. He Ain’t Worth Missin’
3. Wish I Didn’t Know Now
4. Who’s That Man?
5. Big Ol’ Truck
6. Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine On You
7. Country Comes To Town
8. You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This
9. Courtesy Of The Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)
10. Who’s Your Daddy?
11. Stays In Mexico
12. Honkytonk U
13. Crash Here Tonight
