Back in February, legendary country singer, Toby Keith, passed away peacefully in his home surrounded by family after battling stomach cancer for the last two years.
As we celebrate his life and the incredible three-decade long career that saw him garner twenty #1 hits and sell over 40 million albums, I wanted to highlight this special moment from Monday Night Football in 1993 that involved not only one of his best songs, but one of the most iconic country songs of all time.
When Keith released his debut album in the early 90’s, the Dallas Cowboys dominance was at full tilt. With just a few minor tweaks to the lyrics, “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” would’ve been the perfect intro to Monday Night football at Texas Stadium, and both parties seized the opportunity.
To make the intro performance even more legendary, the video began with former Cowboys Headcoach Jimmy Johnson’s iconic “How ’bout them Cowboys?” phrase from the 1993 NFC Championship game.
Should’ve Been A Cowboy was played 3 million times on radio stations, making it the most played country song of the 90’s. It is currently certified 3x platinum.
Rest easy, Toby.