Before his passing in 2024, Country music star Toby Keith was a major advocate for the armed forces and routinely performed free concerts at military bases and combat zones.
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Keith was recognized by the United Services Organization in 2014 for providing over 250,000 troops with a touch of home through performances in 17 countries, including Iraq and Afghanistan, and on several ships at sea. The singer-songwriter also partnered with the Veterans of Foreign Affairs in the US (VFW) to donate a portion of sales for his award-winning mezcal, Wild Shot.
Inspired by his father's service in the US Army, Keith emphasized the importance of giving back to US troops, and his community-driven mindset has rubbed off on fellow music star Brantley Gilbert.
Gilbert, who recently released his new album, Sins of the Father, discussed how Keith influenced him to give back during an appearance on the Whiskey Riff Raff podcast.
Brantley Gilbert Reveals How Toby Keith Inspired Him
"Working in the veteran community is something I'm passionate about. My mom's side of the family is a military family. One of my uncles was a Vietnam guy that came home and had some trouble. One of the guys I went to high school with that was a really close friend of mine came back from his second tour. He was in really bad shape."
Gilbert confessed that he's developed close relationships with several members of the armed forces. Some of whom have become comfortable confiding in him. The "Bottoms Up" singer said he is focused on assisting distressed veterans, a trait he learned from the late Keith.
"Toby Keith was out there doing God's work. When I finally met him and got to know him and go on tour with him, it was like, this guy isn't doing this because it's a good look. He's doing it because he wants to. I realized later on that he was doing it because he needed it. It was part of what made him tick."
Gilbert added that Keith's generosity was "contagious."
"Toby is just someone where I thought that guy hung the moon. I still do. I really looked up to him. And seeing that he wasn't a spotlight-er, he was doing it because it mattered and he wanted to. It's one of the things that made him who he was, and man, it was contagious."
