How Did Toby Keith Contribute To Nationalism

American country music singer, Toby Keith has played a large role in American nationalism through patriotic standards that can be seen and heard in his music. Especially, his song, “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue” peaked at number one in 2002 over the 4th of July weekend. Toby Keith was raised in Oklahoma, and when he first started his career no one had a clue that he would write a song that instilled patriotism and nationalism. This emotional song was written after a horrifying day in American history. This song instilled patriotism back in American when the troops were fighting in the war, it reminded them why they were fighting and what they were fighting for. Keith’s song also had so much controversy and disagreement but when it went

In this song, he talks about how his father served in the battle and how he lost his right eye so his children and everyone else would have freedom. Also in Keith’s song he says, “My daddy served in the army, where he lost his right eye, but he flew a flag in our year, until the day that he died, he wanted my mother, my brother, my sister and me, to grow up and live happy in the land of the free.” (Keith). This specific part of the song connects to the role Keith, is relying to the audience that allows them to connect with each other through what his father did because his father has fought and struggled in the war before and has lost his right eye fighting for his country. I would say this is because most likely somebody in his audience will have someone going into or fighting the war. Going back to his audience Keith becomes like a friend because he is telling them ‘look I know what you are going through, but we must go and fight these people.’ Keith talking about his father and what he has done allows him to comfort his audience and allows them both to be on the same page because of this connection between his father and the audience’s family who is in the