Photos: Toby Keith and Trace Adkins at Cruzan Amphitheatre

There were fewer kids in the audience this year at Cruzan Amphitheatre when Toby Keith’s American Ride Tour rolled in.

I guess people learned from last year’s performance, which was criticized for being R-rated, and they left the kids at home.

Well, Keith’s not going to apologize for being too adult. And he’s not going to apologize for being patriotic either. In fact, you can buy a T-shirt that has a red, white and blue hand with one particular finger extended and the words “Never apologize for being patriotic” written below.

Apologies aside, Keith is no bait-and-switch act. It’s a like what Vince Gill once said about Alan Jackson: Like McDonald’s you always know what you’re going to get. What we got was a brash, bold, sarcastic smart guy who happens to sing okay. But if you’re showing up to at Toby Keith concert for the vocals, well, you’re missing the point. Keith’s act is two-thirds music, one-third comedy. And sometimes you just want to laugh.
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Trace Adkins called yesterday on his way to perform in Moline, Ill., as part of Toby Keith’s American Ride Tour. It’s their second year out on the road together. The tour stops at Cruzan Amphitheatre in suburban West Palm Beach next Saturday.

Be on the lookout for a tall man with a goatee next weekend with a gaggle of girls in tow.
“My kids are coming with me and we’re going to spend an extra day in West Palm, enjoying the city. But thank God for their mother. She keeps them all corralled.”

He also told me that he’ll no longer be the lone male in his family: “I have a grandson coming at the end of October. We’re all excited about it.”

The little guy will join Adkins’ five daughters, and a granddaughter.

Watch for my story in TGIF next Friday, and online here and see what Adkins has to say about his new album, having Toby Keith for a boss, and how important the crowd is to him when he performs.

His 11th album, Cowboy’s Back In Town, entered the Billboard Country Album Chart this week at No. 1 and landed at No. 5 on the Top 200.  

The Nashville Rising benefit concert led by Faith Hill and Tim McGraw has raised more than $2.2 million for flood victims in Tennessee.

The total came from sold-out ticket sales, donations and sponsorships. It will be distributed through the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Last month’s all-star concert included performances by Hill, McGraw, Miley Cyrus, Billy Ray Cyrus, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Jason Aldean, LeAnn Rimes, Luke Bryan, Michael W. Smith, Miranda Lambert, Taylor Swift, Toby Keith and ZZ Top.

Record amounts of rain the first two days of May caused more than $2 billion in damage in Nashville alone. The water forced thousands from their homes, struck some of the city’s biggest landmarks and destroyed the gear of scores of musicians.

Now that the official announcement for Lake Worth-It, the day-long local music festival on Aug. 7, has been made, we have some more information to let you know about.

First off, the official site for the event is Bryant Park, the good-sized space on the Intracoastal, so there’ll be plenty of room.

Secondly, there will be 21 bands total during the festival, which starts at 10 a.m. and stretches to 10 p.m. The event is headlined by Of Montreal lead signer Kevin Barnes, and tickets are being sold through ShowClix.com.

You can find out more at the fest’s official website.

Here’s the full list of bands: Angry Pudding, Black Finger, Black Weather Shaman, Bladesong, The Chill Pillars, The Dewars, Everymen, Fire Zuave, Guy Harvey, The Jameses, Jesse Baumann, John Ralston & Invisible Music, Kill Now?!, Leading the Heroes, The People Upstairs, The Ridicules, Spred The Dub, Wayside Flyer, Yellow #6 and Zombies! Organize!!

There will also be craft beer, an indie craft fair courtesy of Stitch Rock, a live-art exhibition and artisan barbecue.

Tickets will be $20 before the event and $30 at the door.
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Country music star Toby Keith will celebrate Independence Day with the Boston Pops.

Liberty Mutual, the event’s sponsor, announced Wednesday that Keith will join conductor Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops for the annual Fourth of July concert and fireworks show on the banks of the Charles River.

The 40-year-old singer-songwriter’s hits include “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” ”You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” and “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue.”

The “Boston Pops Fireworks Spectacular,” hosted by Craig Ferguson of “The Late Late Show,” will be televised nationally on CBS.

Keith’s latest album, “American Ride,” was released last year by Show Dog Nashville.

With the announcement of the seven show Country Mega Ticket today at Cruzan Amphitheatre, this year promises more country music locally than ever!

Following some incredibly satisfying entertainment at the South Florida Fair — I saw Luke Bryan, David Nail and Chris Young — we have a brand new festival at Cruzan and the South Florida Fairgrounds.

The first- even WIRK Rib Round-Up kicks off the season on March 6, promising sweet and spicy ribs and extra-tasty entertainment.

Billy Currington is the biggest name on the bill. His second Billboard No. 1, People Are Crazy, topped the chart last summer. Also performing: Vero Beach’s Jake Owen, Darryl Worley, American Idol’s Josh Gracin and newcomer Josh Thompson.
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Here’s a surprise:

Toby Keith wants to make you mad.

Keith just released an animated music video for his current single, American Ride, a rocking uptempo portrait of America, and not the most flattering picture.

He says he “loves the American ride,” but the video is highly critical of a plethora of American “virtues,” including watching “Desperate Housewives,” immigration, Wall Street, the Presidency — both Bushes’ and Obama’s — beauty queens, plastic surgery, gas prices. The list goes on.

The video is animated using a process like Flash cartoon animation, similar to the popular JibJab ‘toons.

Here’s the link on CMT:

Keith doesn’t care who he offends — he’s an equal opportunity offender. Of course, anyone who disagrees or criticizes him is a “hater.”

I’m all for music that addresses social problems or protests the state of affairs — I grew up in the late 60s when that was popular. I knew the words to Where Have All the Flowers Gone by the time I was 8.

But this video doesn’t seem to have much of a point. Like I’m not sure if he’s against the ozone buring, or whether he thinks it’s just hype.

I’m actually a little surprised the video made it past the censors.

I’m also sure this will be one of those you-either-love-it-or -you-hate-it videos, not unlike Keith.

But at least you’ll feel alive!

A kinder, gentler Toby Keith?

No drinking, fighting or political songs?

It’s true he’s released three consecutive love songs (“She Never Cried in Front of Me”, “God Love Her” and “Lost You Anyway”) to country radio, but don’t worry.

He says “America’s Toughest Tour” with Trace Adkins, coming to Cruzan Amphitheatre on Saturday, will live up to its name.

“We’re back on track,” Keith said from his tour bus. “My next single, American Ride, is an up-tempo hard and heavy hitter,” but fans will have to wait until October for the new album.

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If Trace Adkins is remembered for “Honky Tonk Badonkadonk”, his tribute to the female derriere, that’s OK, he says.

“Hey, I just hope they remember me for something.”

But that would be a tremendous oversimplification of an artist who has more layers than a wedding cake.

His 10th album, X, released in November, may be his best work. It shows his depth, musically, emotionally, lyrically and vocally.

From “Muddy Water”, the gospel-tinged up-tempo first single, to the hilarious “Marry for Money”, to the super-serious ballad “Till the Last Shot’s Fired,” where he’s joined by the West Point Cadet Glee Club, it’s a rocky ride.

Listen to Janis’ interview with Trace Adkins:

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