University of Oklahoma pays tribute to Toby Keith

The new tradition kicked off on August 30th

The University of Oklahoma in Norman is paying homage to local hometown hero Toby Keith this football season. Last night (Fri, Aug 30th), the Sooners opened their season with 85,000 fans singing along to “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American).”

The new tradition of singing a Toby Keith song will happen in the fourth quarter of every home game, according to university officials.

“The OU Athletics family is incredibly saddened by the passing of our dear friend Toby Keith. It’s a profoundly sad reality to exist in a world where Toby doesn’t,” an Instagram statement reads. “He brought life and joy to every room he entered, and our hearts are dimmer today without him. An American icon and a stalwart Sooner. A superstar talent and a fierce friend of our program. We thank him for the unwavering support he always gave, his generosity as a human being and the countless smiles and memories he created here in Oklahoma and around the world. All our love to Tricia, Shelley, Krystal, Stelen and their families. We’ll miss you on campus, TK. We’re crying for us.”

In May, Keith was granted an honorary degree from The University of Oklahoma for his extraordinary achievements and generous service to others.

Keith died in February 2024 at the age of 62 due to stomach cancer.

Keith built an unparalleled career that included ten billion streams, 100 million radio plays, and 44 million albums sold. Born and raised in Oklahoma, Keith was inducted into the New York-based all-genre Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. He received the BMI Icon Award, and he was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame shortly before his passing.

This week, NBC aired Toby Keith: American Icon, a star-studded tribute included performances and special appearances by Hardy, Luke Bryan, Darius Rucker, Lainey Wilson, and Trace Adkins, among countless others.

The special also included performance video of Keith’s final recording singing Joe Diffie’s “Ships That Don’t Come In,” for the recently-released Hixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape, the 17-song collaboration project honoring the life and works of Joe Diffie. The behind-the-scenes clip reveals moving moments as late country giant Toby Keith and Luke Combs recorded vocals for the Diffie staple in Nashville last year. The powerhouse pair’s rendition of the 1992 tune marks Keith’s final recorded vocal, and the clip shows Keith’s last recording session before his passing in February of this year.