Toby Keith has left an indelible mark on country music since the release of his self-titled debut in 1993. From anthems that stirred national pride to ballads that captured the American heart, Toby Keith’s music carved a bold, unapologetic path and inspired many with his gritty vocals, sharp songwriting and unwavering authenticity. To celebrate his life and his profound impact on the genre, six artists (Ashley McBryde, Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Ella Langley, Tucker Wetmore) pay homage to Toby Keith by putting their spin on some of his greatest hits for this special Apple Music Nashville Session. Read the stories behind their selections as we honour the country icon’s career and legacy. Ashley McBryde, “A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action” “’A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action’ comes from Toby’s first record in 1993. I’m 10, and I’m at an age now where I can pick songs that I listen to,” says Ashley McBryde. “When I think of the word ‘honky-tonk’ and what that would sound like, this is one of my references, like Brooks & Dunn would be a reference. Mark Chesnutt would be a reference. Toby Keith is definitely a reference, especially this song. And then, in my adult life, this song has stayed on my playlist, my bonfire playlist, my go-hang-out-on-a-boat-with-my-friends playlist, or pools or whatever the event is. This is one of my mainstays.” Ella Langley, “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” “What comes with being an artist is, I think, the full package. I think Dolly Parton is another one. I think he’s up there with her in the way where he is a full performer all the time. Everywhere he goes, and onstage, he gives 100% of himself,” says Ella Langley. “When he’s writing a song, he gives 100% of himself. I think that’s what it takes to be an artist like Toby Keith: giving your all, letting your fans in and seeing who you are as a human being, because we’re just human beings at the end of the day. Whether it was through being onstage or being in a writers’ room, he just told the truth and was honest about what he believed in. It’s inspiring.” Megan Moroney, “Who’s Your Daddy?” “It is my band’s hype song that we play before every single show, so much so that it made it into our pre-show playlist,” Megan Moroney says. “It hypes me up, it gets me ready for a show, and it’s just iconic.” Parker McCollum, “Who’s That Man” “It’s one of my favourite Toby songs and one of my favourite country songs of all time,” says Parker McCollum. “I feel like as a songwriter, I’m always trying to write songs from that perspective of the sad, heartbreak love songs about everything going terribly wrong, which this song encapsulates pretty well. You never had to wonder whose song it was when you heard a Toby song, and this one’s at the top of my list in his catalogue. It’s an honour to get to do it.” Riley Green, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” “That was one of my favourite Toby Keith songs,” says Riley Green. “I think because growing up in Alabama, we didn’t have a lot of cowboys. We didn’t have horses; we didn’t have big, long pastures like they got out in Texas and Oklahoma and all that. For me, that lifestyle of being out on the open range was so foreign to me, but also just seemed cool. I loved that song as a kid.” Tucker Wetmore, “As Good As I Once Was” “When I hear the word ‘legacy’, I think of legends, and Toby Keith is definitely one of those legends in my book,” says Tucker Wetmore. “Like the old saying goes, legends never die, and neither will his music. Toby Keith’s music, in three words, is legendary, nostalgic and just something that’ll never grow old.”
