Craig Morgan and Toby Keith had two major things in common: a penchant for Country music and a deep adoration of the armed services.
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Craig Morgan served 17 years in the US Army before embarking on his music journey. Toby Keith, on the other hand, hails from a lineage of armed forces members.
In a recent appearance on the Taste of Country Nights podcast, Morgan detailed his longtime friendship with late Country singer Toby Keith and recalled their final conversation.
"Yeah, I remember sitting on his bus after a show, and he wasn't doing well at all, and talking about our service to our nation. I had just then contemplated going back into the military."
Craig Morgan and Toby Keith
Morgan said Keith supported his ambition to return to the military, but joked that he might not be an ideal candidate after extensive time away.
"I remember he poked fun. He's like, 'You know, are you going to be able to hang with these guys?'"
"I'm like, well, yeah. You know, this is what I do. It's who I am. The music is just my living, and I'm grateful that I have it, but I'm a soldier," Morgan replied.
Morgan also revealed that he and Keith nearly organized a tour together. Unfortunately, Keith passed away before the tour could come to fruition.
"We had plans to do a big tour together. We were super excited about it again, because of our support for our nation and our military in particular," said Morgan, adding, "It wasn't until later in my career that we had started doing a bunch of shows together and established this great friendship. Both with the passion for supporting our military,"
Morgan confessed that he wished "Toby and I had had all of my career time."
Toby Keith died February 5, 2024, at 62 of stomach cancer.
The University of Oklahoma announced that it will open a student athletic center named after the late singer in 2028. Keith, a lifelong Sooners fan, will be immortalized on campus with the opening of the Toby Keith Family Performance Center.
"Naming this performance center in [Keith's] honor is something that truly reflects his impact. His legacy will continue to live on," OU's head baseball coach, Skip Johnson, said in a statement.
