Toby Keith was only slated to have Cole Swindell on stage with him for his CMT Music Awards performance. And yet, it felt like he was up there with Jimmy Rogers, Patsy Cline, Hank Williams, Roy Acuff, Johnny Horton, Bill Monroe, Woodie Guthrie, Bob Wills, Kitty Wells, Jimmy Dean, Hank Snow, Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner, Merle Haggard, Faron Young, Lefty Frizzell, Roger Miller, Loretta Lynn, Tammy Wynette, Buck Owens, Don Williams, Charley Pride, Marty Robbins, George Jones, Emmylou Harris, Conway Twitty, Mel Tillis, Crystal Gayle, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, David Allan Coe, Earl Thomas Conley, Eddie Rabbit, Shenandoah, Alabama, George Strait, Randy Travis, Jerry Reed and Glen Campbell: basically the list of nearly everyone who brought the roots to this rodeo and then made it into the lyrics of Keith’s ode to the legends, “That’s Country, Bro.” And then sbout halfway into Keith’s show at an outdoor stage on Lower Broadway, he transitioned into his “Beer for My Horses,” and that’s when Swindell joined him to finish out the song. Both with red Solo cups in their hands. Is that country, bro?
