Video of Toby Keith’s Final Recording Session Unveiled in Emotional Moment During Tribute Special Taping in Nashville
variety.comChris Willman Senior Music Writer and Chief Music Critic Of all the performances at “Toby Keith: American Icon,” a tribute show held at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Monday night, the most surprising was an unexpected appearance by Keith himself — on the overhead video screens, filmed during what was described as his final recording session.
The emotional kicker came near the end of the all-star concert, as Keith was seen in a recording studio singing a cover of “Ships That Don’t Come In,” recorded in 1992 by Joe Diffie, who died of complications from COVID in 2020.
The musical accompaniment was provided live by the tribute special’s house band as Keith, in studio headphones, sang the bittersweet chorus: “So here’s to all the soldiers / Who have ever died in vain / The insane locked up in themselves / And the homeless down on Main / To those who stand on empty shores / And spit against the wind /And those who wait forever / For ships that don’t come in.” The footage will be part of the special that is set to air on NBC Aug.
28. (Watch fan-captured video of the moment, below.) A version of the song with blended lead vocals had previously been released on Hardy’s tribute to Diffie, “Hixtape: Vol 3: Difftape,” which was released in March, weeks after Keith’s death.
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