On This Day in 1993, Toby Keith Scored His First No. 1 With a Song Inspired by the Wild West and a Brutal Rejection

On this day (June 5) in 1993, Toby Keith topped the Hot Country Songs chart with his debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” The song stayed at No. 1 for two consecutive weeks. It didn’t just show the country music world that Keith was a formidable vocalist. It also showcased his clever songwriting.

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Keith wrote “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and released it in February 1993 as the lead single from his self-titled debut album. It debuted on the Hot Country Songs chart dated March 6. Almost three months to the day after making its debut, it reached the top of the tally. The Oklahoma native would send 19 more songs to No. 1 before he died in 2024.

[RELATED: On This Day in 2000, Toby Keith Celebrated His 16th Wedding Anniversary with a 5-Week No. 1]

Keith pulled from multiple sources of inspiration for his first No. 1. The opening verse references the hit western TV show Gunsmoke. He also name-drops Gene Autry and Roy Rogers, two of the most famous singing cowboys. There is also a reference to shows like The Lone Ranger with a line about a “sidekick with a funny name.” He also tipped his hat to the real Wild West with mentions of Jesse James, Texas Rangers, cattle drives, and revolvers.

The song’s other source of inspiration isn’t as obvious.

Toby Keith Wrote a Hit After Witnessing a Dance Floor Rejection

Gunsmoke was set in Dodge City, Kansas. So is the story behind Toby Keith’s debut single.

Keith and a few other men were in Kansas on a hunting trip. After a day in the woods, they decided to visit a local bar. “I think we were actually at the Long Brand Saloon or Miss Kitty’s Saloon–it was something to do with Gunsmoke,” he told Billboard in 2018.

“This highway patrolman, who I had met on the trip, his name was John, he jumps up. He was probably 45 or 50 back then, and he runs over to this 25-year-old cowgirl. He was going to show that he could bust a move,” Keith recalled. Unfortunately for John, the cowgirl didn’t stop at telling him no. She told him that she didn’t dance.

“About 15 minutes later, a young cowboy comes in and off they go on the dance floor,” Keith said. At that point, everyone started making fun of the highway patrolman for being rejected. One of them told him, “John, I guess you should have been a cowboy.”

Toby Keith wrote the song in about 20 minutes and held onto it until he finally landed a record deal with Mercury Records.

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