Opinion
The nation music star Reba McEntire is at the moment making ready to carry out the nationwide anthem for hundreds of thousands of individuals earlier than the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday. Regardless of this, McEntire nonetheless took a while to pay tribute to the legendary nation music star Toby Keith, who died earlier this week on the age of 62 after a battle with abdomen most cancers.
McEntire Honors Keith
Keith and McEntire have been each from Oklahoma, and after his loss of life was introduced, she recalled her days of touring with him.
“We’re going to miss him so much, not only as a friend but a fellow performer and person in the music business and from Oklahoma,” McEntire, 68, instructed Individuals Journal. “But he doesn’t have to fight anymore, and he doesn’t have to hurt anymore.”
This was a reference to Keith’s valiant battle with abdomen most cancers, which he was recognized with within the fall of 2021.
“I hope one day to get to see him up in Heaven,” she continued. “Thank God we have his wonderful music to keep us company, even though he’s not here on earth with us.”
McEntire has by no means forgotten occurring tour with Keith all through the mid-Nineteen Nineties.
“That was a lot of fun,” she remembered. “Toby was more of the renegade, the outlaw type, and I’m the Little Miss Goody Two-Shoes, and so it was kind of like two ends of the spectrum.”
“He was a great writer, a great singer. When Toby came on the radio, you knew who that was,” McEntire added. “Toby Keith was a distinctive vocalist, a stylist, that you knew exactly who he was. So, that’s a wonderful trait to have.”
McEntire concluded by referencing Keith’s 2011 hit music “Red Solo Cup,” saying, “He and I do have that in common — I do love me a Solo cup.”
Associated: Brett Favre Reveals Unhappy Particulars About Toby Keith’s Closing Days – ‘He Was Just Tired’
Tributes Pour In For Keith
Keith’s household introduced on Tuesday morning that he had tragically died the night time earlier than.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5 surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage,” they stated in a press release. “Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Within the days since his loss of life, different tributes have been pouring in for Keith as nicely.
“Toby Keith was a patriot, you know, and he did not care who had a problem with it,” the nation music star John Wealthy instructed Fox Information.
“Waking up to the terrible news that our friend, and legend @tobykeith has passed away from cancer,” Wealthy later added on social media. “He was a true Patriot, a first class singer/songwriter, and a bigger than life kind of guy. He will be greatly missed.”
Blake Shelton, whose profession was helped by Keith many years in the past, honored Keith as nicely.
”Despite the fact that I knew about your battle these previous couple of months I nonetheless by no means imagined today,” he stated, in accordance with NBC Information. “Anyone who knew you knows what I mean. You were the toughest man I ever met. Thank you, brother, for being a friend, a hero and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith.”
McEntire’s Tremendous Bowl Preparations
As for McEntire, she’s gearing as much as carry out the nationwide anthem on the Tremendous Bowl on Sunday.
“I’ve been singing the National Anthem in the shower [and] when we get in the car,” McEntire instructed Individuals, referencing automobile rides along with her boyfriend Rex Linn, who she describes as a “huge football fan.”
“He’ll say, ‘OK, sing it one more time.’ I said, ‘I think I know the words real good right now, so I’m alright,’” she continued, including that it “helps” to “know that everybody’s gonna be singing it with me” at Allegiant Stadium.
“If I know they’re singing along, and they’re remembering and having fun too, that’s easier on me, but just to be prepared when you walk out there,” she defined.
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McEntire went on to say that she is “honored beyond words” to carry out the nationwide anthem on the Tremendous Bowl for the primary time.
“I get to sing a very special song for all Americans, people all around the world, who have really worked so hard for our freedom and to give us peace,” she gushed. “It’s not about me — I’m the representation of this song, and I’m just honored to get to sing it. It’s a good one. I’ve been doing it for 50 years, and I’m really proud to get to sing it.”
That is clearly a particularly busy time for McEntire, so it says quite a bit about her love for Keith that she took time away from her Tremendous Bowl preparations to pay tribute for him. Please be a part of us in saying a prayer for McEntire and Keith’s different family members throughout this troublesome time.
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