From all of us here at Whiskey Riff, we want to thank all the veterans and servicemen and servicewomen out there for their service. Veterans Day provides the perfect moment to sit down and reflect on all of the sacrifices of those who have served our great country in the past, and presently. We’re forever indebted to those who fight for our freedoms, and we should all give back and thank them any chance that we get. One person that never had an issue doing that was Toby Keith. It’s safe to say that there will never be another Big Dog Daddy. The late, great country star had plenty of love for the U.S. of A., if that wasn’t evident by the many patriotic songs that he released over his career. The only song more American than his 2002 hit “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American)” is the “Star Spangled Banner.” Toby Keith didn’t just sing about his patriotism. He backed it up, and was one of the most popular USO (United Service Organization) acts in the 21st century. That’s why you saw so many branches of the military put out tributes to the country star upon his death, like the U.S. Army did with this post below: We are saddened by the passing of Toby Keith. He dedicated years of his life performing for the troops, with 11 overseas tours with @The_USO, and many performances, charity events, and tributes here in the United States. pic.twitter.com/I4tWuaafjh — U.S. Army (@USArmy) February 7, 2024 As that post’s caption alludes to, Keith was very active when it came to the USO. During his lifetime, he was a part of 18 USO tours, and played for over 250,000 military service members when you combine all of those trips together. Despite having to go into active war zones (and having plenty of stories to prove it), Keith never once doubted the good work he was doing. The “Big Dog Daddy” had this to say when he was asked about USO tours by On Patrol in 2008: “I’ve got a family back home too, that starts to freak a bit when it gets to this time of year to come over here. Once we’re gone, we’re over here, even after seven years, you still have to get your mind set that you’re going to be in a chopper, in a war zone, you’re going to come under fire sometimes. You’re going to be involved in some stuff. But the second that it gets too hot, I look up and here comes a Cobra or an Apache (helicopter) to take us on in. You know they (armed forces) are going to make sure you’re taken care of.” I’m sure it was that kind of stuff where Keith got a lot of ideas for his more patriotic songs. He knew he was in danger in certain moments and situations, and he welcomed it. Why? He had the Red, White, and Blue to back him up. And as much as he loved to perform for the active duty service members fighting the good fight, one could argue that the troops loved Toby Keith even more. Watching the video below won’t only bring a tear to your eye, it’ll also show you how important Toby Keith was to not only the country music industry, but more importantly to the world. The words in the middle of the caption perfectly explain how much it meant for Toby Keith to travel overseas and play for the troops: “In the midst of war, a slice of home.” "Toby Keith is here." Words that spread through Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan like wildfire. Everyone knew the USO sent acts to bases to perform, but Toby Keith was something special. In the midst of war, a slice of home. Forever grateful to a man who had everything but… pic.twitter.com/VgcCG0lTCW — (@LeighWolf) February 6, 2024 We can all learn a great lesson from the life of Toby Keith. Never delay gratitude, and if you have the chance to help or support the troops, do so. Especially on a day like Veterans Day. Be more like the Big Dog Daddy and don’t even let the servicemen and servicewomen out there wonder if they are appreciated. Bring that appreciation to them, just like Toby Keith always did.The post Toby Keith Performed 18 USO Tours For More Than 250,000 Service Members In His Lifetime first appeared on Whiskey Riff.