Country Pop Bites: Toby Keith – July 23

Did you know that on this day in Country Music History in 2005 Toby Keith began a six-week stay at the top of the Billboard country chart with "As Good As I Once Was"?

It’s true! Check out the video!

Here are 5 little known facts about Toby Keith.

• Toby Keith Covel was born on July 8, 1961 in Clinton, Oklahoma.
• Toby started playing music very young after being inspired by the musicians who worked in his grandmother's supper club.
• Toby worked in the oil industry and played defense in the USFL football league before deciding to pursue a career in music.
• Toby’s father was killed in a traffic accident in 2001, and then 9-11 occurred. This prompted him to write the song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue”.
• Toby played 18 shows in 2008 for U.S. troops in Persian Gulf as part of a U.S.O. Tour. He even had to pause during one of his performances because of mortar fire, but he returned to the stage after the attack stopped.