Swift Remembers Keith’s Influence on Her Career
Taylor Swift, the renowned pop and country music artist, paid tribute to the late Toby Keith, a major stakeholder in her former label, Big Machine Records. Swift credited Keith for advocating for her early in her career, saying, “You’re in the room with him and you can feel it. There’s a power there, and you’re just like ‘Oh my God.'” Despite their professional paths diverging over the years, Swift expressed her continued admiration for Keith, stating, “I don’t think I’ll ever get to a point where I won’t see him and be like, ‘Oh my God, that’s Toby Keith!'”
Keith’s Connection to Big Machine Records
Although Keith split from Big Machine in 2006, he retained equity in the company. Swift’s relationship with the label also ended on a tumultuous note in 2018, after both parties decided to part ways. Subsequently, Big Machine’s CEO sold the company to Scooter Braun in 2019, granting him the rights to Swift’s first six albums.
Swift Pays Tribute to Keith’s Songwriting Legacy
During Keith’s induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015, Swift released a video congratulating him and acknowledging his influence on her career. In the video, she reminisced about their early encounters and expressed gratitude for his introduction at a prior event. Swift playfully referenced her transformation from a young, curly-haired teenager in cowboy boots and prom dresses to the successful artist she is today. Raising a small shot solo cup, Swift quoted Keith’s lyrics, saying, “And so in the words of a great Toby Keith song, ‘How do you like me now?'”
Keith’s Unexpected Passing Shocks the Music Industry
The music industry was left in shock upon learning of Keith’s untimely death on Tuesday. Engaged in a public battle since 2022, the acclaimed musician succumbed to his illness on February 5. A statement released on his social media pages conveyed that Keith fought his fight with grace and courage, surrounded by his family at the time of his passing.