Jason Aldean paid tribute to the late Toby Keith at the 2024 ACM Awards on Thursday evening (May 16) — produced by Dick Clark Productions — with a stripped-down rendition of one of many nation legend’s signature hits.

Blake Shelton, who had simply completed performing new single “Purple Irises” with spouse Gwen Stefani, was tasked with introducing the tribute to Keith. “Toby was a great friend to me, and he was a straight shooter,” Shelton raved in regards to the nation nice. “Right to the end of the ride, which ended way too soon.”

Aldean carried out a ballad model of Keith’s 1993 breakout hit “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” together with simply a few acoustic guitarists and a background string quartet for accompaniment. As Aldean and his gutarists performed in entrance of a montage of coloration and black-and-white images of the late nation legend, the group could possibly be heard clearly singing alongside to the music’s well-known refrain, with cutaways to a number of the viewers members exhibiting them to be in tears. “We love you, Toby,” Aldean ended his rendition.

“Way to go, Jason, that was beautiful,” host Reba McEntire raved in regards to the efficiency.

“Cowboy” was Keith’s first of 39 entries on the Billboard Hot 100, debuting at peaking at No. 93 in June 1993. It additionally turned topped the Country Airplay chart that very same month, first of his 20 songs to take action.

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