‘Toby Keith Day’ is now July 8 in Oklahoma. See Stitt’s proclamation
The proclamation honors Keith for “rising from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful, influential, and recognizable country music artists in American history.”
Raise a red Solo cup in honor of the late Oklahoma music icon Toby Keith.
An Oklahoma Hall of Famer, Keith — who died Feb. 5, 2024, at age 62 of stomach cancer — was born July 8, 1961, in Clinton. This Wednesday, July 8, would have been his 65th birthday.
In April, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt read a proclamation declaring July 8, 2026 “Toby Keith Day” in the state as part of Oklahoma Film and Music Day 2026 at the state Capitol.
The proclamation honored Keith, who grew up in Moore and was based in Norman, for “rising from humble beginnings to become one of the most successful, influential, and recognizable country music artists in American history.”
In April, Stitt presented a copy of the proclamation to Krystal Keith, the music icon’s daughter and a fellow Norman-based singer-songwriter, after she opened Oklahoma Film and Music Day with a rendition of the national anthem that soared over the crowded second-floor rotunda of the Capitol.
Stitt posted a copy of the proclamation to social media on Wednesday, July 8, and declared that “Oklahoma will always remember and celebrate the legacy of Toby Keith.”
“Toby never forgot where he came from. From his Oklahoma roots to stages around the world, he represented our state with pride and carried the values we hold dear everywhere he went,” Stitt posted on social media Wednesday.
“His legacy will continue to inspire generations of Oklahomans, and we will always be grateful for the mark he left on the Sooner State and beyond.”
A singer, songwriter, producer and entrepreneur, Keith sold 40 million albums, scored 42 Top 10 hits and earned more than 10 billion streams over the course of his three-decade music career. The Songwriters Hall of Famer penned several enduring anthems, including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” and “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”
With America celebrating its 250th birthday this July Fourth, this hottest part of the year for Keith’s music delivered another No 1 for the late country music superstar. In the past week, the Norman resident’s original composition and smash hit “Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American),” held the No. 1 position on the Apple Music and Spotify all-genre Top 100 charts.
Plus, the America 250-theme 22nd Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic this year raised more than $1 million for the Toby Keith Foundation. Just days before the Fourth of July and the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, Keith’s team announced that the June 12-13 event at Norman’s Riverwind Casino and Keith’s Belmar Golf Club raised more than $1.35 million for his foundation.
The Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic continues to serve as the largest annual fundraiser for his foundation’s primary project: the OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home-away-from-home for pediatric cancer patients seeking medical treatment in Oklahoma City.
Keith, who grew up in Moore, told The Oklahoman in 2019 that he considered the OK Kids Korral “probably my greatest accomplishment.”
In honor of the Country Music Hall of Famer’s birthday, Hollywood Corners, the historic 1920s roadhouse and service station in north Norman that Keith bought in 2015 and revamped into a roadside deli, bar and music venue, is hosting two events this week to support the OK Kids Korral:
- Let’s Have A Party fundraiser: Hollywood Corners, 4712 N Porter Ave., is hosting live music showcases Wednesday through Saturday, July 11, to celebrate Keith’s birthday and inspire and accept donations on behalf of his foundation.
- OK Kids Korral blood drive: Hollywood Corners will host a blood drive benefiting the OK Kids Korral from 3:30 to 7 p.m. Thursday, July 9. Donors can sign up in advance to give blood. Each donor will receive 10% off at Hollywood Corners, a T-shirt and two tickets to Frontier City or Hurricane Harbor.
On July 2, management at Hollywood Corners announced on social media that it is closing this month after years of operating at a financial loss. Instead of just shuttering, it will become the new home of Norman’s venerable Mooney’s Pub & Grill’s, which is being displaced by the creation of the Oklahoma Turnpike Authority’s controversial new east‑west connector turnpike in the Norman area, which will be named the Toby Keith Expressway.
Beginning Aug. 1, Mooney’s will operate at Hollywood Corners under the new name Mooney’s at Hollywood Corners, the latter announced on Facebook.
Along with streaming or buying Keith’s music, fans are encouraged to shop the OK Kids Korral Amazon wishlist or donate to his foundation.
Plus, the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame, which inducted Keith in 2005, is inviting his fans to share their favorites of his songs on Facebook.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source www.oklahoman.com ’
