Takamine

On Sunday October 20, Toby Keith was posthumously welcomed into the Country Music Hall of Fame, and never has there been an artist more deserving.

With his distinctly recognizable vocals and magnetic live-performance presence, Toby Keith fits right in with fellow hall-of-fame legends -- Merle Haggard, Walon Jennings, and George Strait -- and as one of the most successful songwriters of any genre, ever, Toby shares legendary status alongside iconic songwriters such as Dean Dillon, Harlan Howard, and Bob McDill.

Toby’s induction into the CMHOF serves to not only cement his legendary status as Country Music Superstar, but arguably honors the very Hall of Fame itself.

Toby Keith's wife and son accept his induction to the CMHOF on his behalf

Central to the recently unveiled Toby Keith exhibit within the rotunda of the CMHOF stands Toby’s iconic American flag Takamine Guitar, made famous by association with his well-known patriotic, post-911 anthem, "Courtesy of the Red White and Blue."

Interestingly, the song, as successful and controversial as it would later become, was originally written by Toby to be performed at his USO shows only, with no intention of the song being performed outside of his military audience. That all changed when a Marine Corp Commandant convinced Toby it was his patriotic duty to share it. Toby would go on to do 18 USO tours.

In anticipation of the song’s release, Toby asked Takamine if they could create an American flag guitar based on the EF341SC, his original mainstay model dating back to his earliest days in Nashville. Takamine was able to make good on Toby’s request in relatively short order.

One of Toby’s first performances of “Courtesy of the Red White and Blue” was at the 2002 CMA Awards, where his newly-minted American flag guitar also made its debut. Both song and guitar would become highly anticipated features of every Toby Keith concert from then on.

So, when Toby’s friend, fellow Okie, Tak player, and onetime tour-mate Blake Shelton was chosen to honor Keith by performing two of his songs at the CMHOF Medallion Ceremony, Blake immediately thought “flag guitar” and contacted Takamine about the possibility of somehow purchasing one. Being a custom creation of only four total, the chances that Blake would get his hands on one of the flag guitars for Toby’s induction -- or ever -- were next to zero.

But as fate would have it, Ripp Mayes, Toby’s longtime guitar tech, friend to Takamine, and co-designer of Toby’s signature model EF250TK, had decided long before that the fourth flag guitar, produced as a spare and still unplayed, would best be kept and maintained by Takamine artist relations in Nashville as a fallback for any last-minute need.

Blake’s idea to honor Toby and family by featuring his famous flag guitar made perfect sense -- particularly coming from Blake -- so it seemed only natural (and somewhat predestined) that that last flag guitar be gifted to Toby’s dear friend and likely future Hall-of-Famer himself, Blake Shelton.

The very surprised and grateful Shelton responded by declaring the guitar would be “a prized possession for the rest of his life”. Takamine is proud to help honor the great Toby Keith and wholeheartedly congratulate Toby’s family, management, band, crew, and entire organization for his well-deserved induction into the esteemed Country Music Hall of Fame.