Toby Keith, Garth Brooks + More Perform for Sold Out Crowd at Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert [PICTURES]
Saturday (July 6) an estimated 65,000 people filled Oklahoma University's Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium for Toby Keith's sold out Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert - the largest concert ever to be held in the state of Oklahoma.
The money raised from ticket sales benefits the United Way of Central Oklahoma. The organization has established a fund to aid victims of the tornadoes and violent storms that pummeled the state in May and killed dozens of people.
Krystal Keith, Toby Keith's daughter, started off the show at 3pm singing the national anthem, followed by a jet fly over. Shortly after, Garth Brooks took the stage and played "Two of a Kind, Workin' on a Full House," "Thunder Rolls" and "Papa Loved Mama." His wife, Trisha Yearwood, joined him for a duet, "In Another's Eyes." Brooks, an Oklahoma native, was thrilled to be a part of the tornado relief efforts. “The healing process starts today,” he said. “Now let’s smile. Let’s be joyful.”
The event also included performances by Willie Nelson, The Red Rocker - Sammy Hagar, Ronnie Dunn and Carrie Underwood via satellite while she performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville.
Seven hours into the show, Toby Keith played for a still packed house. His set list included: “Made in America,” “Who’s Your Daddy?” “I Love This Bar,” “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “Ain’t as Good as I Once Was,” “Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action,” “How Do You Like Me Now?” “American Soldier,” and of course "Red Solo Cup" - which he playfully changed to "Red Sooner Cup."
Moore native and Norman resident, Toby Keith was affected very personally by the devastating May tornadoes, with both a sister and sister-in-law hit by the storms. With so much destruction right in his backyard, Keith wasted no time putting this amazing star-studded show together. He said the concert planning was much like "herding cats," but well worth the effort.
“It’s all about love today,” Keith said.
Check out some pictures from the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert:
All photos courtesy of Getty Images.
For us, this song pretty much summed up the night: