Toby Keith’s daughter Krystal Keith said the late country music star told her to “never apologize for being patriotic.”
“When he learned last fall that he was being inducted to Sooner Nation on this high of a level, he was so excited, and he was so proud,” Keith’s daughter said, according to a report by Fox News.
Krystal made her remarks on Saturday at the University of Oklahoma’s commencement ceremony while accepting an honorary degree on her father’s behalf.
As Breitbart News reported, Keith died in February at the age of 62, following a battle with stomach cancer.
“I actually made a joke about how many hours I spent here getting my bachelor’s degree, and he joked that he didn’t have to work that hard to get his,” Krystal continued. “But we all know he earned it and spent many more hours dedicating his life to earning it this way.”
“He loved his family (he loved all of us), God, our country, and Sooner Nation,” she added.
Krystal went on to say that throughout her father’s life and career, “He made sure to work hard to have the best, to be the best.”
“He often said, ‘They may write better than me, they may sing better than me, and they may look better than me, but they will never outwork me.’ And that made all the difference,” she added.
“He was a larger-than-life legend, he was an icon, he did things his own way, his songs inspired nearly everyone in country music and beyond,” Krystal said.
Keith’s daughter also noted that the late country music legend was proud to be an American, a value he passed onto his children.
“He always said, ‘Never apologize for being patriotic,’ and practiced what he preached through his work with the USO [United Service Organizations],” Krystal said.
She also recounted Keith’s dedication to performing for the U.S. military, adding, “He was going into the most dangerous zones, where guys that never got those entertainers to come to them, were housed and were sitting, and he would go and boost their morale.”
“And that’s who he wanted to go see. We called him Captain America. And that’s something he earned,” Krystal explained. “My dad taught me everything: singing, writing songs and — most of what I know about life. And I hope the graduates that are here today can learn from him, too. He fought hard to live his dream.”
Krystal also noted that the “Red Solo Cup” singer “had faith and believed in himself” and “never gave up the fight, even when the odds were against him.”
“He would want me to tell you to never give up on yourself. As you start your next journey in life, know that you have strong roots here at the University of Oklahoma. Work hard and be the captain of your own ship. Believe in yourself and live your dream,” she said.
Notably, Keith was also posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
Country music star Jason Aldean is now preparing to honor the late country legend with a performance at the 2024 Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards.
You can follow Alana Mastrangelo on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
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