You’d think folks would have learned by now that if you’re going to perform during a tribute concert, you better double-check that you know ALL the lyrics to the song.
Last night, the biggest names in country music gathered in Nashville, Tennessee, to celebrate the life and legacy of the Big Dog Daddy, Toby Keith, with the American Icon: Toby Keith tribute concert. Featuring Lainey Wilson, Jamey Johnson, Eric Church, and more, the night was filled with performances of his greatest hits and a few hidden gems from Keith’s archives.
While the night served to honor and remember Keith’s illustrious career, it also served a larger purpose: ticket sales benefited both The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral and the Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt.
The night was filled with stellar performances, one didn’t quite live up to the gold standard: Tyler Hubbard’s performance of “Red Solo Cup.” The 2011 hit highlights Keith’s love for red Solo cups and how they are the perfect medium to make and store your drink of choice. Hubbard was chosen to pay tribute to the drinking anthem, holding up his red Solo cup along with everyone in the crowd during the song.
While the atmosphere was filled with everyone belting out the lyrics, the man on stage wasn’t belting out the correct ones. During the second verse, Hubbard majorly fumbled the words. Maybe a missed word here or there could be looked over, but he flat-out forgot lines. Where he should have sang:
“Now, I really love how you’re easy to stackBut I really hate how you’re easy to crack‘Cause when beer runs down in front of my backWell, that, my friends, is quite yucky (here we go now)…”
The audience heard the following:
“Now you…I really love how you…
Stack….
Can we redo that second verse?
We can’t do Toby like this.”
Then after collecting his thoughts post-brain fart, he gets it together and comes back in with the correct lyrics. Not to dog on Hubbard anymore (I’m about to dog on Hubbard some more), but he was given one of the most straightforward songs from Keith’s catalog to perform. The talking-style song isn’t exactly vocally demanding, so all he needed to do was remember the f**king lyrics.
At least he went back and delivered the lyrics correctly after the “uh-oh,” but getting them on the first go-around would have been ideal. Hopefully, Keith was looking down with his solo cup and getting a good belly laugh watching this moment. The rest of the performances made up for this lackluster moment.
Check it out:
@angecork @Tyler Hubbard had a performance and recovery worth a red solo cheers #nashville #tobykeith #redsolocup #jellyroll #lukebryan ♬ original sound – AngeCork
And while you’re here, you might as well tip your hat to the man who originated the ditty by firing up Toby Keith’s version of the single.