Senate Bill Seeks to Honor Toby Keith With a Memorial Bridge Named After His No. 1 Hit Song

Back in February 2024, Toby Keith sadly passed away after battling stomach cancer. Just hours after the singer’s death, the Country Music Hall of Fame inducted him as a member. While a massive supporter of the United States and the military, Keith never forgot his home state of Oklahoma. For Oklahoma, they never forgot the singer behind songs like “As Good As I Once Was”, “Beer for My Horses”, and “American Soldier.” And thanks to a new bill filed, Keith could get his own bridge. 

Videos by American Songwriter

Throughout Keith’s career, the singer crossed numerous milestones. He watched his passion turn into a career, which eventually blossomed into a legacy. Filing Senate Bill 1475, Republican Oklahoma State Senator Lisa Standridge moved to name a bridge in Norman, Oklahoma, to the “Toby Keith Memorial Bridge.” 

The senator also placed language in the bill that would keep Keith’s name on the bridge and surrounding area for decades to come. Knowing that the city could change in the coming years, Standridge wanted to name the connection between Interstate 44 and Indian Hills Road “Toby Keith Parkway.”

[RELATED: Toby Keith Just Picked up a Pair of Posthumous RIAA Certifications]

Future Project Could Honor Toby Keith’s No. 1 Hit Song

While Keith might not be the first singer to get a road or highway named after him, the singer could get his own bridge. But it won’t have his name. With the connection above proposed, city developers hoped to build a bridge over the Canadian River. Instead of giving the bridge Keith’s name, the bill suggested calling it the “Should’ve Been A Cowboy Bridge.” 

Released back in 1993, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” quickly climbed to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. It peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard Hot 100. Glorifying the cowboy lifestyle, the song became another hit in the singer’s discography. 

Just the latest tribute to Keith, Standridge hoped to celebrate the country star not for a moment but for the years and decades to come, reminding fellow citizens of Oklahoma how far a dream can take a person. For Keith, that dream didn’t just lead to chart-topping songs and sold-out shows – it built a legacy strong enough to be etched into the landscape of his home state.    

(Photo by Tim Mosenfelder/Getty Images)