Toby Keith's Final Recording Released, Pays Tribute to Late Country Favorite

Toby Keith's final studio recording comes as a collaboration with Luke Combs and Hardy for the latter's "Hixtape" album release. With it, the song is also a tribute to another late country favorite: Joe Diffie.

The entire Hixtape is the third volume and it's a full album tribute to Diffie, who died in 2020 at 61 due to COVID-19. It also features a slew of cameos alongside Keith and Combs. According to Rolling Stone, Blake Shelton, Chris Young, Clint Black, Darius Rucker, Hailey Whitters, and Koe Wetzel all appear on the album.

Keith lends his voice to the cover of "Ships That Don't Come In," representing his final studio performance before his death in February 2023. The song was recorded by Diffie in 1992 and was written by Paul Nelson and Dave Gibson, focusing on those proverbial ships that never come to port for people. "Opportunities taken and those that never presented themselves."

The release follows Keith's inclusion in the latest class into the Country Music Hall of Fame, joining John Anderson and James Burton in the 2024 class. Keith's son was on hand for the announcement, with the musician passing just one day before learning of his induction.