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CMT Music Awards 2024: Toby Keith fans in tears over emotional red solo cup tribute to late country icon - as star's children honor him from audience: 'Whiskey for my man, beer for my horses!'

8 months ago 23

The late Toby Keith was well-remembered by his family, colleagues and fans at Sunday's CMT Music Awards stemming from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas.

A number of segments on Sunday's show were focused on Keith, with Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson and Sammy Hagar among the performers to honor the late crooner, who died two months ago at the age of 62 following a battle with stomach cancer.

Keith's 2011 track Red Solo Cup served as the creative inspiration behind part of the tribute, which saw the singer's family - including Keith's wife Tricia Lucus and their children Shelley, Krystal and Stelen - hold up the cups in his memory in an emotional segment at the award show, which was broadcast on CBS and Paramount+.

The Should´ve Been a Cowboy singer-songwriter was surrounded by his relatives when he died February 6, a statement posted on the country singer's website read.

The segments at Sunday's show elicited a number of responses from fans on social media, who were emotionally moved by the musical tribute to the late singer.

The late Toby Keith was well-remembered by his family, colleagues and fans at Sunday's CMT Music Awards stemming from the Moody Center in Austin, Texas, Pictured in 2004 

Sammy Hagar, Kix Brooks, Lainey Wilson, Riley Green and Roger Clemens were among  the performers to honor the late crooner, who died two months ago at the age of 62 following a battle with stomach cancer

Brooks & Dunn began the tributes with a cover of Keith's 1993 hit Should've Been a Cowboy.

Hagar, 76, emerged onstage, telling stories about his adventures with his late friend in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. The Van Halen alum then performed Keith's 2003 track I Love This Bar.

Musician Lukas Nelson, 35, the son of musical icon Willie Nelson, told the crowd how Keith 'was not a shy guy' and 'had a big personality.'

Nelson added that he met Keith when he was younger 'when he was working on' his 2008 film Beer For My Horses.

'I got lucky I got the opportunity to watch his artistry in person,' Nelson said.

Green, 35, recalled how innately talented Keith was at his craft.

'That guy could come up with a hook like no other and sing the hell out of every song that he wrote, somehow only making it look easy,' Green said.

He added, 'Right now, we have one of our favorite artists to perform one of our favorite Toby songs,' introducing country sensation Lainey Wilson, 31, who performed How Do You Like Me Now?!, a 1999 track from Keith.

Keith's family emotionally held up red Solo cups in tribute to the late singer 

Keith's daughter Krystal Keith, wife Tricia Lucus and son Stelen Keith Covel posed during entrances on the red carpet 

The family presented a united front just two months after Keith's passing 

A number of artists took the stage to pay tribute to the late country singer

Brooks & Dunn began the tributes with a cover of Keith's 1993 hit Should've Been a Cowboy 

Hagar, 76, emerged onstage, telling stories about his adventures with his late friend in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Hagar donned a shirt with his late friend's name emblazoned across the chest 

The Van Halen alum then performed Keith's 2003 track I Love This Bar 

The medley was introduced by former New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, a friend of Keith's who called the late artist 'a friend, patriot and great American.

Clemens, who also pitched for the Boston Red Sox, Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros, said that Keith maintained his 'sense of humor and his wit' in the wake of his 2021 cancer diagnosis.

'A perfect example of it, my two boys, who played baseball right here at the University of Texas, they were in Oklahoma playing the Sooners' at the University of Oklahoma, which was 'Toby's university.'

Clemens said that Keith made his sons and offer, and made good on it - as best he could: 'Toby told my boys, "If you get a home run off our Oklahoma pitcher today, I'll sit on your dugout and I'll sing the The Eyes of Texas with you."

'Well, guess what? It happened and, true to form, Toby sat on the dugout and with his funny and wit, sang, "I've been working on the railroad." No chance was going to sing The Eyes of Texas.'

Clemens thanked Keith's family 'for sharing' the As Good As I Once Was with the world.

'Thank you for sharing your dad with all of us - thank you,' Clemens said. 'Trish, we love you. Thank you for sharing your husband with the world, Trish. Thank you.'

He wrapped up the emotional segment in saying, 'Alright, real quick: Raise 'em up. Everybody at home, raise your fist if you don't have a Solo cup. Let Toby hear you. Repeat after me, "Whiskey for my men," and, "Beer for my horses" - let's go!'

Country sensation Lainey Wilson, 31, took part in the musical tribute to Keith 

Wilson who performed How Do You Like Me Now?! - a 1999 track from Keith 

The medley was introduced by former New York Yankees pitcher Roger Clemens, a friend of Keith's who called the late artist 'a friend, patriot and great American'

Clemens clutched a red Solo cup in honor of his late friend while toasting Keith 

Hagar clutched a baseball while posed alongside the seven-time Cy Young award winner 

The segments at Sunday's show elicited a number of responses from fans on social media, who were emotionally moved by the musical tribute to the late singer 

Rapper-turned-country star Jelly Roll erased any doubts about his new passion when he swept the 2024 CMT Music Awards with three majors wins, including the top honor, Video of the Year.

He beat a tough crowd Kacey Musgraves, Darius Rucker, host Kelsea Ballerini, Jason Aldean, Lainey Wilson, Mickey Guyton and Kane Brown and Tyler Childers, among many others.

Jelly Roll offered hope to incarcerated teens when he won Male Video of the Year, and he held back tears after his first win for CMT Performance of the Year.

The show, which was held in Austin, Texas, also featured a key win from Lainey Wilson for Female Video of the Year.

She conquered an impressive list of nominees, including Ashley McBryde, Gabby Barrett, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney and Reba McEntire.

Trisha Yearwood was honored with the inaugural June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award

The show aired live from Austin's Moody Center and was hosted by Ballerini for the fourth time in a row.

She went solo, after previously co-hosting with Kane Brown, though she announced that it would be her final time hosting at the end of the show. 

Ashley Cooke and Warren Zeiders were honored with the Female and Male Breakthrough Video of the Year awards, while Carly Pearce with Chris Stapleton and Dan + Shay were also honored.

The show featured an all-star tribute to the late country star Toby Keith, with Roger Clemens and Willie Nelson's son Lukas Neilson doing the introductions and Brooks & Dunn, former Van Halen frontman Sammy Hagar and Lainey Wilson leading the performances in Toby's hits Should’ve Been A Cowboy, I Love This Bar and How Do Ya Like Me Now?.

The rapper-turned-country star Jelly Roll erased any doubts about his new passion when he swept the 2024 CMT Music Awards with three majors wins, including the top honor, Video of the Year 

The show, which was held in Austin, Texas, also featured a key win from Lainey Wilson for Female Video of the Year. She conquered an impressive list of nominees, including Ashley McBryde, Gabby Barrett, Kacey Musgraves, Kelsea Ballerini, Megan Moroney and Reba McEntire 

The show aired live from Austin's Moody Center and was hosted by Ballerini for the fourth time in a row 

Brooks & Dunn, Lainey Wilson and Sammy Hagar led a tribute to the late Toby Keith, with Roger Clemens and Willie Nelson's son Lukas Neilson doing the introductions

In her pre-announced with for the first-ever June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award, the singer and wife of Garth Brooks praised the award's namesake. She was joined at the ceremony by John Carter Cash, the only child June shared with her third and final husband, Johnny Cash.

Billy Bob Thornton, Emma Roberts, Minnie Driver, James Van Der Beek and Jane Seymour offered a touch of Hollywood when they presented awards.

Nominees for this year's awards show were announced last month. 

Morgan Wallen, one of the genre's top stars, received only one nomination — for Male Video of the Year for Last Night (One Record at a Time Sessions) — and he was shut out when Jelly Roll won.

The Country Music Television Awards 2024 WINNERS

VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ashley McBryde — Light On In The Kitchen

Brandy Clark feat. Brandi Carlile — Dear Insecurity

Brothers Osborne — Nobody's Nobody

Cody Johnson — The Painter

Darius Rucker — Fires Don't Start Themselves

HARDY — Truck Bed

Jason Aldean — Let Your Boys Be Country

Jelly Roll — Need A Favor — WINNER

Jordan Davis — Next Thing You Know

Kacey Musgraves — Deeper Well

Kelsea Ballerini — IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOIN' DOWN TOO)

Lainey Wilson — Watermelon Moonshine

Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown — Nothing Compares To You

Parmalee — Gonna Love You

Tyler Childers — In Your Love

Zach Bryan — Nine Ball

FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Ashley McBryde — Light On In The Kitchen

Gabby Barrett — Glory Days

Kacey Musgraves — Deeper Well

Kelsea Ballerini — Penthouse

Lainey Wilson — Watermelon Moonshine — WINNER

Megan Moroney — I'm Not Pretty

Reba McEntire — Seven Minutes In Heaven

MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Bailey Zimmerman — Religiously

Cody Johnson — The Painter

HARDY — Truck Bed

Jelly Roll — Need A Favor — WINNER

Jordan Davis — Next Thing You Know

Luke Combs — Fast Car (Official Live Video)

Morgan Wallen — Last Night (One Record At A Time Sessions)

DUO/GROUP VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Brothers Osborne — Nobody's Nobody

Dan + Shay — Save Me The Trouble — WINNER

Old Dominion — Memory Lane

Parmalee — Girl In Mine

The War And Treaty — Have You A Heart

Tigirlily Gold — Shoot Tequila

COLLABORATIVE VIDEO OF THE YEAR

Carly Pearce feat. Chris Stapleton — We Don't Fight Anymore — WINNER

Ella Langley feat. Koe Wetzel — That's Why We Fight

Jon Pardi, Luke Bryan — Cowboys And Plowboys

Justin Moore & Priscilla Block — You, Me And Whiskey

Lukas Nelson + Promise of The Real feat. Lainey Wilson — More Than Friends

Mickey Guyton feat. Kane Brown — Nothing Compares To You

Old Dominion & Megan Moroney — Can't Break Up Now

BREAKTHROUGH FEMALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World®

Anne Wilson — Rain In The Rearview

Ashley Cooke — your place — WINNER

Brittney Spencer — Bigger Than The Song

Tigirlily Gold — Shoot Tequila

BREAKTHROUGH MALE VIDEO OF THE YEAR, presented by Walt Disney World®

Chayce Beckham — 23

Tyler Childers — In Your Love

Warren Zeiders — Pretty Little Poison — WINNER

Zach Bryan — Oklahoma Smokeshow

CMT PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR

Amber Riley — R.E.S.P.E.C.T. (from CMT Smashing Glass)

Bret Michaels & Chris Janson — Nothing But a Good Time (from CMT Crossroads)

Carrie Underwood — Hate My Heart (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

Cody Johnson — Human (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

Dierks Bentley — Drunk On A Plane (from CMT Storytellers)

Dustin Lynch feat. MacKenzie Porter — Thinking 'Bout You (from CMT Campfire Sessions)

Hozier & Maren Morris — Take Me To Church (from CMT Crossroads)

Jelly Roll — Need a Favor (from 2023 CMT Music Awards) — WINNER

Kelsea Ballerini — IF YOU GO DOWN (I'M GOIN' DOWN TOO) (from 2023 CMT Music Awards)

The War And Treaty — On My Own (from CMT Smashing Glass)

CMT DIGITAL-FIRST PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR 

Chase Rice — Goodnight Nancy (from CMT Studio Sessions)

Dylan Scott — Don't Close Your Eyes (Keith Whitley Cover) (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)

Megan Moroney — I'm Not Pretty (from CMT Digital Campfire Sessions)

Nate Smith — Whiskey on You (from CMT Studio Sessions)

Scotty McCreery — It Matters to Her (from CMT Stages) — WINNER

Stephen Wilson Jr. — Year to Be Young 1994 (from CMT Studio Sessions)

The Castellows — I Know It Will Never End (from CMT Studio Sessions)

June Carter Cash Humanitarian Award 

Trisha Yearwood — Inaugural Winner

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