Blake Shelton paid tribute to late country legend Toby Keith with a medley of two of Keithâs most iconic party anthems. Shelton performed âI Love This Barâ and âRed Solo Cupâ when he took the CMA Theater stage at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee. Keith was inducted during the star-studded Medallion Ceremony alongside John Anderson and James Burton. Keith, Anderson and Burton became the 153rd, 154th and 155th members of the Hall of Fame.
Earlier this year, Keith âpassed peacefullyâŠsurrounded by family,â following a battle with stomach cancer. He was 62. The late country starâs wife, Tricia Covel, spoke for the first time at the induction ceremony with son Stelen Keith Covel on stage with her. She and Keith were married nearly four decades at the time of his passing in February. Keith is also survived by daughters Shelley Covel Rowland and Krystal Keith, and his grandchildren.
Shelton, a fellow Oklahoma-born country artist, was one of three singers to honor Keith during the ceremony on Sunday, October 20. Post Malone performed âIâm Just Talkingâ About Tonightâ â one night after he covered âWish I Didnât Know Nowâ during his headlining show at Nissan Stadium in Nashville â and Eric Church delivered a moving rendition of âDonât Let The Old Man In.â
âThe Keith family sends their heartfelt congratulations to [John Anderson] and James Burton for your inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame,â reads a statement posted to Keithâs Instagram account following the induction. âThey would like to thank Kyle Young and the [Country Music Hall of Fame] as well as Randy Owen for inducting Toby into the Hall of Fame and for your beautiful words. Thank you also to [Post Malone], [Eric Church] and [Blake Shelton] for your incredible performances of some of Tobyâs most beloved songs.â