Tim McGraw Enlists Crowd To Sing “Live Like You Were Dying” For Toby Keith
(L)Jennifer Kratka Simpson/(R)Tim McGraw/Facebook and (insert) Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images
Thursday night, during a tour stop in Florida, Tim McGraw paid tribute to the late Toby Keith by asking the crowd to help him sing “Live Like You Were Dying.”
Tim McGraw took the stage at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Hollywood, Florida, Thursday night (Feb. 8) and took a moment to honor Toby Keith as he closed the show. McGraw first shared some memories of his late friend, saying that he “was a really, really good guy. A great artist, and I always respected how he did things his way and didn’t care what anybody thought.”
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Tim then introduced his own 2015 hit, “Live Like You Were Dying.”
“Bear with me if I don’t get through it. You guys help me out, but I want to dedicate this song to Toby and his family,” McGraw said.
It was clear that the mood of the auditorium was somber as McGraw fought through the lyrics. He called on the crowd a few times to help him through by pointing his mic their way. At the song’s end, Tim stood still on the stage as the crowd cheered, fighting back tears as he soaked up the special moment.
Tim McGraw and Toby Keith knew each other more than 30 years.
As shared by Tim following Toby’s death, the two men celebrated the release of their self-titled debut albums on the same day in 1993.
“Toby and I spent quite a bit of time together early in our careers…..We had a lot of good times and conversations about what we wanted out of our careers and our lives. He was a maverick. He did things his way, on his terms, a true artist. I always have and always will have tremendous respect for his artistry, dedication and fearlessness to do his thing,” McGraw captioned a social media post. “We all will miss you, brother.”
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Toby Keith died Monday, February 5, after a two-year battle with stomach cancer.
Tributes have poured in from fans, friends, his family and fellow country stars, all of whom noted the impact Toby Keith had on their lives and on music in general. See some of those tributes HERE.
RELATED: TOBY KEITH’S DAUGHTER SHARES NEVER-BEFORE-SEEN PHOTOS OF HIM AS A GRANDPA
Tim McGraw shared a clip of his tribute performance to Toby Keith on his social media pages. See that video below.
