Before They Were Famous: Toby Keith

Toby Keith began focusing on country music in the mid-80s, when he formed the Easy Money Band and toured Oklahoma and Texas relentlessly. Prior to that, he worked in the oil fields, even getting a job as an operation manager. A dip in the industry left him unemployed, so he played football with a semi-pro team called the Oklahoma Drillers and aimed toward a career in Nashville.

Keith's first employment was at his grandmother's bar. It was there he'd help out doing odd jobs while watching bands come play nightly. He says the experience shaped his future, and he's written multiple songs about those nights.