On September 11, 2001, Toby Keith watched the tragedy unfold at a horse auction in Kentucky. As the second plane hit the World Trade Center, his thoughts turned to his father, H.K. Covel, an Army veteran who had died in a car accident just six months earlier. Keith wondered how his father would have reacted to seeing America under attack. Grief and pride inspired him to write a song in about twenty minutes, originally as a private tribute to his father and the military. He initially refused to record it, performing it only for overseas troops during USO shows. But the powerful reactions from soldiers and military commanders eventually convinced him to take the song into the studio. What began as a son’s tribute to his father became an anthem rooted in family, patriotism, and the values of an old soldier.
Introduction On September 11, 2001, country music legend Toby Keith sat in Kentucky at a horse auction, watching in disbelief as history…