Blake Shelton to present the award live from the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville
Country music legend Toby Keith will receive the Country Icon Award at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards with a heartfelt presenter tribute by fellow Oklahoman Blake Shelton. As a pioneer in country music and one of the most influential artists of all time, Keith will be recognized for his decades-long career as a groundbreaking musician, humanitarian, and entrepreneur.
In addition to his many accomplishments and accolades, including the National Medal of Arts award in 2021, Keith is known for his charitable work with The Toby Keith Foundation, OK Kids Korral, and his annual charity golf classic, all in support of children battling critical illnesses. As a recipient of the Spirit of the USO Award in 2014, the beloved artist has also demonstrated his dedication to the troops with 11 USO tours, spanning 18 countries and more than 280 events.
Hosted by Little Big Town, the People’s Choice Country Awards will air live on September 28th at 8 pm ET/PT across NBC and Peacock from the world-famous Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. More information about tickets will be available soon.
“We’re overjoyed to honor legendary artist Toby Keith with the first-ever Country Icon Award,” states Cassandra Tryon, Senior Vice President, Entertainment Live Events, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming. “As a talented songwriter and powerhouse performer, Keith has touched the hearts of fans across the globe. His illustrious career and passion for philanthropy has cemented his place as an icon in country music history.”
The two-hour telecast will lean into the rich connection between country music and the Opry through chart-topping musical performances, genre-bending collaborations, legendary tributes and surprise moments that regularly happen from the iconic venue.
The only award show for the people and by the people, the People’s Choice Country Awards will recognize the biggest and best country music has to offer chosen entirely by the fans across various categories. Several honorary awards will also be bestowed during the awards ceremony.
The show will extend to social platforms with Backstage Live, bringing fans at home behind the scenes as well as interactively connecting country’s most popular stars with their biggest fans.
This project is an example of collaboration resulting from NBCUniversal’s equity investment in Opry Entertainment Group alongside Atairos, which was finalized last year.
