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The 2024 ACM Awards taking place on May 16, 2024, will feature a special performance by Jason Aldean on Toby Keith's Should've Been a Cowboy. Toby Keith died on February 5, 2024, at the age of 62, after a two-year-long battle with stomach cancer.
On May 14, Jason Aldean confirmed the news of giving a tribute to Toby Keith at the 2024 ACM Awards via an Instagram story wherein he mentioned:
"Honored to pay tribute to my friend, the one and only @tobykeith with a special performance of "Should've Been a Cowboy" at the @acmawards. Join me as we celebrate his legacy and the mark he left on country music."
As per the statement posted on Toby Keith's social media accounts on February 6, 2024, he "passed peacefully" surrounded by his family after a battle with cancer which he fought with courage.
"Was lucky enough to share the stage with Toby"— Jason Aldean in his tribute to Toby Keith
American country music singer Toby Keith passed away on February 5, 2024, and his death shed light and awareness surrounding a lesser-known stomach cancer.
On the day of Toby Keith's passing, Jason Aldean took to X and shared a tribute expressing his emotions toward the news.
“Just waking up to the news of Toby Keith’s passing. Today is a sad day for Country music and its fans. Toby was a huge presence in our business and someone we all looked up to and respected. You and your music will be forever remembered big man", Jason wrote.
Additionally, in a piece by ABC News covering Jason Aldean's tribute to Toby Keith at the 2024 ACM Awards dated May 14, 2024, the She's Country singer talked about the tribute in a statement.
Aldean mentioned that he has been a fan of Toby Keith since the beginning and that Keith's songs are some of the first he played in clubs early on during his career which also includes the 2024 ACM Award tribute song- Should've Been a Cowboy.
Aldean mentioned in his statement—
"I was lucky enough to share the stage with Toby in Oklahoma this last year, and it means a lot to be able to honor him and properly celebrate his iconic career and legacy. He was one of a kind.”
Moreover, the CEO of ACM, Damon Whiteside, released a statement on honoring Toby Keith with a tribute at the award function. In the statement mentioned on ABC News, Damon Whiteside mentioned that the love, influence, and popularity of Toby Keith has been "infinite" since he passed away earlier this year.
The ACM CEO also mentioned that he looked forward to welcoming Toby Keith's family at the awards.
Apart from Jason Aldean's tribute to Toby Keith's legacy, 2024's ACM Awards comprise performances by Post Malone, Miranda Lambert, Thomas Rhett, Kane Brown, and Parker McCollum.
Additionally, the function also features collaborative performances by Gwen Stefani and Blake Shelton, Kelsea Ballerini, Noah Kahan, and Avril Lavigne along with Nate Smith.
The 2024 ACM Awards will take place on May 16, 2024, at Ford Center at the Star in Texas. The award function will stream live starting at 8 PM EST on Prime Video and on the Amazon Music channel on Twitch.
