Toby Keith honored at 2024 CMT Awards with moving tribute from Sammy Hagar, Lainey Wilson

Rocker Sammy Hagar, wearing a Toby Keith t-shirt, told the crowd at the CMT Awards, "Toby and I, we spent a lot of time in Cabo together over the years.

"We closed the Cabo Wabo down a lot more times than we remember," he said, referencing his Cabo San Lucas bar. "It's hard to get thrown out of your own bar and we managed to do that."

Hagar, known for his time playing guitar in Van Halen and solo songs "Heavy Metal" and "I Can't Drive 55," then performed Keith's song "I Love This Bar."

Hagar was one of three performers tapped to pay a musical tribute to the late Toby Keith including Brooks & Dunn, who sang "Shoulda Been a Cowboy," and Lainey Wilson who performed "How Do You Like Me Now?"

Toby Keith, known for his country hit "Should've Been a Cowboy," died in February after battling stomach cancer.

Keith told the world about his cancer battle in June 2022 after a fall 2021 diagnosis.

"Last fall, I was diagnosed with stomach cancer," he said on social media. "I've spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family."

After Keith died, his family issued a statement saying he "passed peacefully" while "surrounded by family" and that he "he fought his fight with grace and courage."

The performances at Sunday's awards show channelled Keith's grace and courage, bringing his friends and family together as they reminisced and sang.

Holding red Solo cups in honor of another Keith song, the crowd (and performers) raised their cups and sang along.

Famed baseball pitcher Roger Clemens, who introduced the tribute, returned to the stage at the end and asked the crowd chant "Whiskey for my men and beer for my horses."

He teared up as he thanked Keith's widow and his children for sharing their dad with the world.

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Prior to the show, Hagar told The Tennessean, part of the USA TODAY Network, that Keith was one of his best friends and he was truly honored to have been asked to participate in the tribute.

Keith and Hagar met in Las Vegas in September 2001.

"I was doing a show at a place and he was playing the next night, so he came in to see my show. We became friends and we hung out in Vegas," Hagar said. "We just really hit it off good."

Turns out, Keith was also a huge Van Halen fan; he loved the 1988 song "Finish What Ya Started."

The two were in Vegas when Bernard Hopkins took on Felix Trinidad boxing in the middleweight championship.

"I bet on Hopkins to win and he won," Hagar said.

"I won $40,000 on the fight and Toby and I took the cash, we stuffed it in a bag and we rented a big, big old van and just went to every bar in town in Vegas," Hagar reminisced.

"He could throw it down pretty good, you know?" Hagar said, with some emotion.

Hagar said that he and Keith would perform "I Love This Bar" together in Cabo San Lucas at Cabo Wabo, the bar Hagar formed alongside the Van Halen crew. Performing the same song during the tribute was the best way to honor Keith and their friendship.

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Although Hagar is a hard rock guy, he's always felt at home in country.

"I have more country friends — rock stars are a little more pretentious than the country guys," he said with a smile.

Hitting the stage at the CMTs just feels right for Hagar. "I'm not a country artist, but a country kind of guy," he said.