Megastar Toby Keith gets lots of love and hugs from soldiers stationed at the FOB Orgun-E in the Persian Gulf as he poses for a group photo. Part of a 10-day USO tour, Toby will extend his gratitude to those serving in America's armed forces and put on 18 shows. ©2008 USO photo by Dave Gatley.
April 30, 2009 — Toby Keith completed his seventh USO tour of the Middle East this week after playing a whopping 15 shows in just five days. That segment of the trip came to a close Tuesday after what proved to be Toby's riskiest visit yet.
"The boys and girls were rockin' and laughin' like never before," Toby wrote in a blog. "I've never seen them as energetic. That being said, the danger factor was at an all-time high. Not since my early trips to Iraq have we been escorted in by gunships as often as we were on this visit. Thank you, Cobras and Apaches. Thanks to all our bird teams for the rides."
Toby wrote a new song, "The Ballad Of Balad," an d if it follows down the same road as "American Soldier," it might well have a big future. "Soldier" was penned after his first Middle East visit, drawing on his memories of meeting the troops and attending a memorial ceremony for another.
"Those kinds of things just bore into your soul," he told the American Forces Press Service. "I would have never been able to complete 'American Soldier' if it weren't for the experiences I had."
When Toby gets back to the U.S., he'll have yet another I Love This Bar & Grille franchise in progress. According to the Associated Press, he's opening a 650-restaurant at Great Lakes Crossing in Auburn Hills, Mich. The menu includes the American Soldier burger, free to service men and women with a valid military ID.
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