Toby Keith Talks About His Gall Bladder Attack.

TOBY KEITH opened up a little more about last summer's gall bladder surgery. Like a lot of guys, he tried to man-up at first and then it brought him to his knees and he HAD to get 'er done. Toby said, quote, "I had an attack [that] I thought was weird indigestion back in December. Then it was gone for three months and I didn't think anything about it. I thought it was a cramp. "Then in March I was on the golf course and by the third hole, I hit my drive and then started feeling that same thing I had three months earlier. "Me and the guys hit our second shots and by the time I got to the green, I was doubled over, and dry heaving, broke out in a sweat. "Everybody says when you have a gall bladder attack, it feels like a heart attack. And I didn't think it was that bad. It felt like a stomach cramp."

Toby Keith and Rodney Atkins Salute the Troops This Veterans Day Weekend!

This Veteran's Day weekend, we remember the troops who have served to protect the United States. No format of music consistently honors those who serve as much as country music, and that's evident with stars like Toby Keith and Rodney Atkins who regularly perform for the troops overseas. Toby has played nearly 200 shows for the troops overseas since he started his yearly tours with the U.S.O. more than a decade ago. He began doing the tours in honor of his veteran father. Says Toby, "I just kind of went and I got there and saw the void that was there and the U.S.O. was like, 'Man, any time you want to come back, we'll take you.'" Toby has been back every year since and often goes out to entertain troops on very remote bases. Even seeing a helicopter is a big deal to these troops who may be deployed out there for 18 months.
"It's like, 'Something's coming out here to see us.'" Toby says. "There may be 25 guys out in the middle of nowhere." Toby plans to continue making the trips as long as he can, and he says, "I'm honored to do it. It's great boys and girls, and thank God we have 'em over there." Rodney Atkins can speak firsthand to the intense work the troops put in every day to defend America's freedom. Looking back on one of his tours entertaining the troops in Afghanistan, Rodney recalls getting up in the middle of the night and seeing a soldier doing intense physical training in the freezing rain. Rodney says, "He was carrying sandbags, like 200 pound sandbags and throwing them down and then he’d pick them back up in the freezing rain.  He’d walk twenty five yards, whatever, throw it down, pick it back up. " Rodney walked over to the soldier and asked him if he had been ordered to do this training. The soldier told him no one ordered him to get up at 3 a.m.
Rodney recalls him saying, "I’m doing this because I never know when I’m gonna have to carry one of my brothers or sisters back through the gates of hell.'" When he heard that, Rodney realized he had nothing to complain about at all in his life. He says, "It’s just amazing what they go through.  Keep the men and women in your prayers."

Toby Keith Wants His Opening Acts to "Beg" For the Slot!

Next time you see a TOBY KEITH concert, you can be sure of one thing . . . the opening act really, and I mean REALLY wanted that slot . . . because Toby wouldn't have it any other way. Toby hired BRANTLEY GILBERT to open his "Live In Overdrive Tour" because the guy literally begged for it.
Toby said, quote, "I always want somebody on the tour that wants to be there. That's the guy that you want because it's gonna be a long tour if somebody don't want to be there. "If they're just there to help their career then you've got a bunch of people walking around like zombies backstage. "You want somebody that you can mingle with, hang out with, maybe write a song with and that camaraderie and stuff, it has to be there and it makes the tour a wonderful thing if you can do that."

Toby Keith Reveals Why He Passed on American Idol Judge Gig.

Toby Keith was one of the country stars rumored to be in the running for a spot on the American Idol judges panel next season, and he now confirms those rumors were true. The spot ultimately went to Keith Urban, but Toby didn't take long to pass on the opportunity. It's not that Toby was unhappy with the financial aspect of the deal. He says, "It's a great big TV show.  Lucrative deal.  Lot of money, but it's a lot of time." The American Idol judges panel has been working for a few weeks now, and they won't be done until the next season wraps in May 2013. That was just too much for Toby, who will release his new album, Hope on the Rocks, on October 30. "I know three weeks in that I'd be going, 'I can't believe I did this.  I am so mad at myself.  I knew better,'" Toby says. "And so, instead of even thinking about it or letting somebody down, allow them to move on and get who they want." The new season of American Idol premieres in January with Keith Urban sitting next to new judges Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey and returning judge Randy Jackson.

TOBY KEITH ALERT! New Album Drops Sooner Than Expected!

TOBY KEITH has moved up the release of his album "Hope On The Rocks" to October 30th. Why?  Because everyone loves, just loves, his song "I Like Girls That Drink Beer".

(TobyKeith.com)

Toby Keith Reunited a Soldier and His Wife at One of His Concerts.

This happened a little over a week ago, but it's just getting around. It's a video of TOBY KEITH surprising a military wife who thought her husband was still on duty in Afghanistan. Toby pulled the woman out of the audience and asked her to hang around and help him sing "American Soldier". When the song ended her husband, Major Pete Cruz, came walking from the back of the stage and totally surprised her. It's beyond moving to see how much they missed each other. Have the box of tissues ready. Way to go Toby!

Toby Keith Had Gall Bladder Surgery.

Toby Keith had his gallbladder removed this week in a successful outpatient surgical procedure. As a result, Toby has postponed his Thursday, August 2 show in Fort McCoy, WI to August 30. Toby will resume his tour schedule Friday, August 3 with a show in Detroit Lakes, MN.


Get Well, Toby. Hope you're feeling better real soon!

Did Toby Keith Say No To Being a Judge on "American Idol"?

According to Examiner.com, TOBY KEITH did an interview for a small California newspaper where he admitted that he turned down an offer to be a judge on "American Idol". Apparently, Toby was offered STEVEN TYLER'S job earlier this month, but he said no because he couldn't take that much time off from his career.

(--Just last week we heard "Idol" was "seriously considering" bringing in BRAD PAISLEY to be a judge. Sounds like they went to Brad AFTER Toby said no. Hey, who knows for sure?)

Toby Keith and Kristen Bell Hosting Star-Packed CMT Music Awards TONIGHT!

Toby Keith and Kristen Bell are set to co-host tonight's CMT Music Awards, though they only met Monday. They seemed to be having fun with each other at a press conference Tuesday to promote the show, though. When someone asked what Kristen would be wearing on the show, she explained, "You get to sort of formulate an arc in your wardrobe, and it's really silly and girly, but it's a whole lot of fun." That's when Toby broke in, saying, "I have a nice skirt. A little knee-high job with some pumps." Though she's never been to Nashville before this week, Kristen is a big country music fan. The invitation to host was a bit random, and Kristen says, "Honest to God, I don't know how I got here. They just invited me, and I squealed." Toby is an old pro at the CMT Music Awards, and he's taken home several of the show's belt buckle awards in the past. Toby even hosted the show a few years ago with Pamela Anderson, and he likes the spontaneous feel of this awards show. "To me, it's not as sterile as the other awards shows," Toby explains. "It's more hang out, hang loose and the whole night's funner. They've got a wonderful package together this year." Jason Aldean, Ronnie Dunn, Sara Evans, Alan Jackson, Jake Owen and Kellie Pickler will be on hand to give out trophies. Other presenters include actresses Hayden Panettiere, Denise Richards and Ashley Greene. Dax Shepard, Tom Arnold, Steve Austin, Indy 500 winner Dario Franchitti, Jordin Sparks and American Idol finalists Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine round out the presenters list. The 2012 CMT Music Awards broadcast live on CMT and CMT.com tonight at 8.

Toby Keith and Kristen Bell Are Co-Hosting the CMT Music Awards.

This could be interesting . . . or maybe odd. TOBY KEITH will be co-hosting this year's "CMT Music Awards" with actress KRISTEN BELL. The show airs June 6th. By the way, this isn't Toby's first time co-hosting that show with someone hot. He and PAMELA ANDERSON did the honors back in 2003. By the way, Kristen Bell plays Jeannie Van Der Hooven on Showtime's "House of Lies". This should prove to be a great show! What else could it be? IT'S COUNTRY BABY!

Toby Keith is Heading Out on His 10th Anniversary USO Tour!

TOBY KEITH is heading to the Middle East for another USO trip. And this one's a milestone. Toby explains quote, "We should surpass 200 shows, 10 years, our tenth year anniversary. "The exact itinerary is always held back for safety reasons, but Toby has a good idea where he's going. He says quote, "We do a week in Afghanistan and then I think we do a week in Kuwait, Bahrain. "(And) we've started hitting aircraft carriers and doing a big show for 5,000 a night on the aircraft carrier and then flying helicopters off the battleships and doing little two-man shows during the day."

Thank you, Toby for all you do for our service men and women. You are a true patriot.

Toby On The Tube!

You've got plenty of chances to catch Toby Keith on TV in the coming weeks. Toby stops by The Ellen DeGeneres Show on Thursday followed by a Friday appearance on NBC's Tonight Show with Jay Leno. He continues his media blitz with an interview on E!'s Chelsea Lately March 27. Also, catch Toby performing on the 47th Annual ACM Awards Sunday, April 1 on CBS.

Toby Keith Does Not Want To Do Movies Anymore.

TOBY KEITH has only done two movies, "Beer For My Horses" and "Broken Bridges" but he may never do another. Because it pulled him away from his music. Toby says quote, "When I did the movies, it affected my writing. I think I had quality songs and we had hits and stuff but it affected my day-to-day, my routine and the volume of songs that I bring to the table when I record an album." Toby also didn't like how movies are here today and gone tomorrow. He said, quote, "I got little or no bang, you know songs get heard on the radio forever but movies are like here and then they’re gone. "They're not re-currents. You heard the song today and then you hear it tomorrow and then ten years from now you'll still hear it every once in a while, but you'll hear it more than you'll see that movie replay. There's just not enough bang for my buck to waste that much time into a project." As always with Toby, if you keep him talking long enough, he'll eventually bring his ego into the mix. In this case he wants you to know that he's okay with quitting movies, because he mastered the art form.
He said, quote, "I proved to myself I could do it, proved to myself I could write a screenplay, proved to myself that I could act and be in a movie with the BURT REYNOLDS and KELLY PRESTONS and people like that of the world. "And it was like, 'Alright, I done that. Now what did I get out of that?' Other than the experience, we're good."

What else can I say but "Enough said." LOL!

Toby Keith Didn't Want to Record his Song "Made In America".

It must be nerve-racking trying to pick the right songs to record for an album. I mean, why else would we hear so many stories about hit records hat almost didn't make the cut? That's the deal behind TOBY KEITH'S song "Made In America". Toby says, quote, "About a year and a half ago, me and Bobby Pinson were writing that song and I said, 'Man, I might have to put this thing on the back burner for awhile.' "I've got 'Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue', 'American Soldier' . . . (and) 'American Ride' . . . a lot of America songs. If I did 'em all, that's all I'd record." Fortunately for Toby, he caved to pressure from his team. He says, quote, "I was in the booth singing the scratch vocal, and everyone was going, 'God, what a smash. That is awesome, pal!' Everyone was high-fiving and carrying on. "I wasn't about to pop everyone's bubble and say, 'I ain't putting it on the album.' So I said, 'Alright, y'all win'."

Toby Keith's New Album Will Be Out in October.

Toby Keith's next album is titled "Clancy's Tavern" and it's going to drop October 15th. The video for the album's first single, "Made in America", came out yesterday. You should watch it. It WILL make you salute the nearest flag. God Bless Country Music, God Bless America!

Toby Keith & NFL Stars Start New Veterans Organization...

TOBY KEITH joined up with NFL stars Tommie Harris, Roy Williams and Mark Clayton . . . to start a charitable organization called "Pros 4 Vets". It's dedicated to raising awareness to the needs of service members, veterans and their families. Toby explains, quote, "It's our duty as Americans to take care of our men and women in uniform when they come home. We invite professionals from all fields to step up to this challenge and help."

Click Here To Visit Pros 4 Vets!

Your Country Music Video Of The Day. The Bullets In The Gun - Toby Keith

Toby Keith   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Toby Keith to host WWE Monday Night Raw Tonight

Toby Keith will be mixing it up with the WWE. The singer is set to be the guest host on tonight's "Monday Night Raw," airing on the USA Network. The wrestling stint is part of Keith's promotion for his new album, "Bullets in the Gun," which arrived in stores earlier this month. The CD, featuring the hit singles "Trailerhood" and "Bullets in the Gun," debuted at number one on both the Country Albums chart and the all-genre Billboard 200. Keith has also been supporting his album on the road. He has two more dates scheduled this year. The country star will be in West Point, New York on November 11th and in Atlantic City, New Jersey on November 12th.

WORLD PREMIERE VIDEO: TOBY KEITH - BULLETS IN THE GUN

Toby Keith to play IKE HALL on Veteran's Day

Country superstar Toby Keith will play a Veteran's Day show at Eisenhower Hall in West Point.

Keith's new album, "Bullets in the Gun," is out today and features a deluxe edition with live songs from his performance at the Fillmore in New York City.

The special performance, part of Keith's "American Ride" tour, is at 8 p.m. Nov. 11.

CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS