About the song
Toby Keith has never been one to mince words or shy away from a full-throttle declaration of pride in his roots. With That’s Country Bro, the veteran country star delivers a raucous, rapid-fire tribute to the genre’s rich history, packing decades of country music’s most iconic figures and cultural touchstones into a three-minute, barnstorming anthem. It’s a song that doesn’t just celebrate country music—it defiantly asserts what it means to be country, reminding listeners of the genre’s deep lineage and the legends who shaped it.
Released in 2019, That’s Country Bro finds Keith in a familiar role: the unapologetic patriot and genre loyalist, recounting the milestones and memories that define his musical world. In many ways, this track follows the tradition of country’s great roll-call songs—those tunes that name-drop the greats, from Hank Williams to Johnny Cash, reinforcing the idea that country music is not just a sound, but a way of life. Keith, however, takes the concept to its extreme, rattling off more than 50 names in quick succession, from classic crooners like Patsy Cline and Conway Twitty to cultural icons such as John Wayne and Dale Earnhardt. This isn’t just a history lesson; it’s a rallying cry.
Musically, That’s Country Bro leans into Keith’s signature blend of modern honky-tonk energy and classic country sensibility. The song’s structure is straightforward—driven by an infectious, chugging rhythm and a melody that seems tailor-made for stadium singalongs. There’s no intricate storytelling here, no deep narrative arc—just a punchy, good-time roll call of the figures Keith deems essential to the country identity. This simplicity is part of the song’s charm, and also its challenge. Some listeners may see it as a fun, if somewhat predictable, exercise in nostalgia, while others might find its rapid-fire listing more akin to a checklist than a true exploration of the genre’s depth.
Yet, what makes That’s Country Bro work is its unapologetic conviction. Toby Keith has spent his career embodying a no-frills, working-class approach to country music, and this song fits squarely within that ethos. He isn’t interested in debating the finer points of country’s evolution or making room for contemporary genre-blending; he’s planting a flag, staking a claim to a traditionalist vision of country music that refuses to waver. It’s a perspective that will undoubtedly resonate with his core audience—those who still revere Merle, Willie, and Waylon as the genre’s true north.
Ultimately, That’s Country Bro serves as both a tribute and a declaration—a loud, proud anthem that reminds fans where country music came from and, in Keith’s view, where it ought to stay. Whether one sees it as a heartfelt homage or a defiant pushback against modern trends, there’s no denying its intent: to honor the legends, the outlaws, and the storytellers who made country what it is. In an era where the genre continues to evolve and blur its boundaries, Toby Keith stands firm, tipping his hat to the past and declaring, in no uncertain terms, That’s country, bro.
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Lyrics
Jimmie Rodgers, Patsy Cline, we lost Hank at 29
Roy Acuff, Johnny Horton and dancin’ Bill Monroe
Woodie Guthrie, Bob Wills, Spade Cooley, Kitty Wells
Jimmy Dean and Big John and ol’ Hank Snow
Heard ’em every weekend
Opry tuned in on that AM radio
That’s country bro
Yeah, that’s country bro
Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Porter Wagoner and the Hag
Faron, Lefty, Roger Miller King of the Road
Loretta Lynn and Tammy Wy, Buck, and Don and Charlie Pride
Marty Robbins and The Possum, ol’ George Jones
Heard ’em all growin’ up
In Daddy’s ol’ farm truck
Eight-track stereo
Hey, that’s country bro
Gonna be country, you oughta know
A little bit of somethin’ bout the roots and the boots
And the rhinestone suits
That started this rodeo
Yeah, that’s country bro
Yeah, that’s country bro
Emmylou and Conway Twitty, M-M-Mel and Detroit City
Crystal Gayle, and Willie, Waylon, David Alan Coe
Earl Thomas, Eddy Rabbit, Shenandoah, Alabama
George Strait and Randy Travis, Diggin’ Up Bones
Saw ’em on Hee-Haw
Singing in their overalls
Junior was the star of the show
That’s country bro
Yeah, that’s country bro
Bo and Luke and Daisy Duke
Smokey and the Bandit, one and two
Jerry Reed and Jerry Clower, Glen Campbell’s Goodtime Hour
John Wayne and Marshal Dillon, Roy Rogers, Andy Griffith
Ben and Adam, Hoss and Little Joe
And Festus
That’s country bro
Yeah, that’s country bro
That’s country bro, yeah
