Jason Aldean's ACMs Tribute to Toby Keith Gets Mixed Reviews

FRISCO, TEXAS - MAY 16: EDITORIAL USE ONLY. Jason Aldean speaks onstage during the 59th Academy of Country Music Awards at The Ford Center at The Star on May 16, 2024 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images)

Jason Aldean led the 2024 ACM Awards tribute to Toby Keith at Thursday night's ceremony—and fans already have a lot of feelings about it.

Aldean, 47, was chosen to perform a meaningful tribute for the late country music legend, who died in February following a battle with stomach cancer. Keith, who died at 62, is still grieved by the country community for his irrefutable impact on the industry.

To pay homage to the late superstar, the Academy of Country Music honored Keith with a performance at the awards show ceremony on Thursday, May 16. Before Aldean took the stage, Blake Shelton appeared to introduce the performance and pay tribute to his late friend.

“As a friend, a fan and a fellow Okie, I feel heartbroken and yet honored to be standing here tonight to remember a man who became one of the biggest country music stars of all time: the late, great Toby Keith," Shelton began. Shelton listed some of the 14-time ACM Award-winner's career accomplishments before telling the audience that Keith had also been a "loving husband" and "proud father."

“Toby was a great friend to me, and he was a real straight-shooter who was larger than life, and he always would shoot you straight right to the very end of his brave ride that ended way too soon," Shelton said before introducing Aldean. "Here to honor Toby’s memory with one of his greatest songs, another friend who loved him very much: Jason Aldean, everybody.”

Aldean then took the stage to sing a special rendition of Keith's hit song, "Should've Been a Cowboy," which left many people in tears. As a montage showing photos of Keith onstage and with his family was displayed on screens behind Aldean, the camera panned around to show audience members wiping tears away during the acoustic performance.

Aldean closed out the song to a round of applause. "We love you, Toby,” he said.

Reba McEntire, who served as the evening's host, praised the tribute as "beautiful" and "very nice." Many fans online seemed to agree with her assessment as some took to social media to share their thoughts on the special moment.

One person on X, formerly Twitter, said Aldean had done a "fantastic job" with a performance that "had me in tears the whole time."

"The minute everyone stood up I was in tears!" they added. "Wonderful job Jason !"

Another X user who said they are "not a big Jason Aldean fan" admitted that he was "knocking this tribute out of the park."

"Say what you want about Jason Aldean but he did Toby Keith justice in that performance," another X user said. "Very well done."

Aldean was a questionable choice to spear the tribute for Keith, as fans voiced issues with the news when it was announced. Aldean has become somewhat of a controversial figure in recent years, first with his wife Brittany Aldean's controversial comments about transgender youth in August 2022 and then again in July 2023, when he came under fire for his song "Try That in A Small Town," which critics have accused of having racist undertones in the lyrics and scenes from the music video.

Though some viewers were still questioning why Aldean had been chosen for the Keith tribute on social media, most people seemed to approve of his performance.

"Toby Keith tribute... best moment of the night," another fan wrote on X. "And its not even close."

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