Toby Keith Speaks out on Death of President George H.W. Bush

Toby Keith is speaking out on the death of President George H.W. Bush, who passed away on Nov. 30. The singer, who performed as part of President Donald Trump's inauguration festivities, had kind words for the former POTUS.

"I always looked at President George H.W. Bush [as a] a gentleman," Keith shared with PopCulture.com at a recent media event.. "He was the kindest ... It seemed like the whole time he was in, everything was just perfect. The fighting, I think even the other party opposing him, even accepted him more then. I don't remember there being as much outrage as there was with the other presidents. He just always seemed like a kind soul to me."

Keith's debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy," was released in 1993, while the senior Bush was still president. With 25 years since then, Keith has had dozens of hit singles, and more opportunities he could have never imagined he would have – including a song in the upcoming Clint Eastwood movie, The Mule, but he's grateful he could have never imagined how successful his life would be.

"I think it's just the journey," Keith conceded. "I didn't know, when I put that out, that I was going to be celebrating [25 years], with the big song in Clint Eastwood's movie. I didn't know that I was going to have to happen, and everything in between. I've told people before, if I could go back to any one thing, I would probably came to Nashville three or four years earlier, started networking, instead of beating it up in the bars, but I'd have been different.

"I'm not going to lie; I think that path laid for you is what it is," he continued, "and you have to be careful about thinking about changing anything. I think the bumps and grinds were just as important as the success."

Keith might not have had the success he has had without "Should've Been a Cowboy," a daring song that set a precedent for Keith making his own music, his own way, never second-guessing his own intuition.

"I knew the second they put that baritone guitar down that it was going to be a single," Keith recalled. "After a couple days, I was getting the feedback that everybody thought it was going to be a big hit."

Find a list of all of Keith's upcoming shows by visiting his website.

Photo Credit: Getty images/Terry Wyatt