If there was at least one thing good to come out of the 2020 Coronavirus quarantine, it’s Toby Keith’s cover of Bill Withers’ iconic hit, “Ain’t No Sunshine.”
This throwback YouTube video, originally posted back on April 19, 2020, serves not only as a daily reminder of the late country legend but also as a time capsule from an era when artists used their time at home to bless us with stripped-down acoustic performances. With much of the music industry at a standstill, given the inability to tour and recording studios difficult to access, artists turned to at-home performances to stay connected with their fans.
Despite the unfortunate circumstances, it created a wave of some amazing covers, including this one from Keith’s Furniture Store Guitar Sessions. As noted by the caption, during this time period, the late Big Dog Daddy was spending his COVID-19 vacation down in Mexico and “forgot his guitar in the 405, so he stopped by a furniture store and picked up an old guitar.”
Thus, the rustic series posted from Keith’s San Lucas home was born and blessed fans with this captivating cover of Wither’s 1971 single from his debut album, Just As I Am. The Oklahoman star’s booming vocals on this R&B hit are absolutely mesmerizing. In honor of Keith, who has now been gone for over 2 years, with the anniversary of his passing on February 5, the two-minute rendition is a must-watch.
Just as the saying goes, if you give a mouse a cookie… if you watch this clip and feel the undeniable urge to reminisce more on the tremendous loss of this country music staple, luckily, there’s a whole 30-plus song playlist on YouTube of the archived Furniture Store Guitar Sessions. Keith posted clips of him singing everything from his own hits like “As Good As I Once Was” and “God Love Her” to numerous covers, ranging from John Prine’s “Humidity Built the Snowman” to Kenny Rogers’ “Daytime Friends” and Elvis Presley’s “(Now and Then There’s) A Fool Such As I.”
So fill up a Solo cup with your beverage of choice and sit back to enjoy this trip down memory lane, showcasing the incredible voice of the one and only Toby Keith.