While most country music festivals offer an impressive lineup of singers, the Windy City Smokeout music festival took it a step further by bringing great music and even better BBQ. Mixing country music with some great BBQ can elevate any festival, but for the Chicago music festival, the organizers promoted artists like Koe Wetzel, Bailey Zimmerman, Megan Moroney, Kane Brown, and Riley Green. Getting the chance to perform on the final day, Green decided not to shine a light on his own career but on the legacy of Toby Keith.
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During his performance at the festival, Green looked out at the crowd and admitted they appeared to be a “patriotic bunch.” Wth the roar of the crowd following the statement, it appeared the singer was right. Quickly jumping into another song, he found the perfect time to celebrate Keith with a cover of “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue.”
To make the performance even better, most fans in attendance decided to sing the lyrics with him. Although Keith passed away in February 2024 from stomach cancer, his music, legacy, and love for America continued to entertain fans all over the country.
Riley Green Reveals What He Respected The Most About Toby Keith
Outside of celebrating Keith, Green often discussed how much he loved the country music icon. Appearing on Fox & Friends in 2024 to perform his song “Different ‘Round Here”, the singer praised Keith’s dedication to the military. “Something about Toby Keith I always loved was how he had his values and spent time playing shows with the military and really stood his ground on a lot of things. And I think that’s something a lot of people respect about him.”
Looking at his own life and career, Green concluded, “I think it impacted everybody, he’s such a big influence. Like I said, I remember him really being the first guy to play those shows overseas for the military bases and really taking that time out. Being a touring artist and knowing how tough this is, to take that time is important and it meant a lot to him.”
Just the latest star to pay tribute to Keith, no matter how much time passed, country music will always remember the Country Music Hall of Fame legend.
(Photo by Natasha Moustache/WireImage)
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