“Never Apologize For Being Patriotic”: Toby Keith’s Daughter Reveals Late Father’s Inspiring Message

The daughter of legendary country singer Toby Keith, who tragically passed away earlier this year, revealed the patriotic instructions from her father during a speech at the University of Oklahoma commencement ceremony last week.

 

Krystal Keith explained how her late father once told her never to back down from expressing pride toward the United States of America.  Toby Keith died in February after succumbing to his battle with stomach cancer.  Krystal accepted an honorary degree from the University of Oklahoma on his behalf.

 

“When he learned last fall that he was being inducted to Sooner Nation on this high of a level, he was so excited, and he was so proud,” Krystal stated during her commencement speech.  She further illustrated her father’s pride for God, family, America, and the state of Oklahoma.

 

“I actually made a joke about how many hours I spent here getting my bachelor’s degree, and he joked that he didn’t have to work that hard to get his,” she added. “But we all know he earned it and spent many more hours dedicating his life to earning it this way. He loved his family (he loved all of us), God, our country, and Sooner Nation.”

 

Krystal further highlighted the inspirational work ethic of Toby, who would never give up despite the seemingly superior attributes his competition may possess.  As a result of the musician’s dedication and perseverance, he will go down in history as one of country music’s biggest legends.

 

“Throughout his life and career, he made sure to work hard to have the best, to be the best. He often said, ‘They may write better than me, they may sing better than me, and they may look better than me, but they will NEVER outwork me,’” Krystal continued. “And that made all the difference. He was a larger-than-life legend, he was an icon, he did things his own way, his songs inspired nearly everyone in country music and beyond.”

Describing how proud her father was to be an American, Krystal noted that he always told his family to “never apologize for being patriotic.”  She added that he was a man of his word as he gave significant amounts of his time and energy to United Service Organizations.

 

Moreover, Krystal discussed her dad’s unwavering support for the military.  One of Keith’s greatest hits was his post-9/11 tune “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue,” an extreme display of patriotism and support for the U.S. Army.  Keith would often go to great lengths to perform for the military.

 

His daughter said, “He was going into the most dangerous zones, where guys that never got those entertainers to come to them, were housed and were sitting, and he would go and boost their morale. And that’s who he wanted to go see. We called him Captain America. And that’s something he earned.”

 

Concluding her speech, she encouraged the graduates to go out into the world and fulfill their dreams.  “He had faith and believed in himself. He never gave up the fight, even when the odds were against him. He would want me to tell you to never give up on yourself. As you start your next journey in life, know that you have strong roots here at the University of Oklahoma. Work hard and be the captain of your own ship. Believe in yourself and live your dream,” she said.