Jelly Roll covered one of Toby Keith’s greatest hits in honor of the late legend on New Year’s Eve.

Jelly Roll was part of the star-studded lineup NEW YEAR’S EVE LIVE: NASHVILLE’S BIG BASH on Tuesday evening (December 31). Keith Urban hosted the iconic show with Entertainment Tonight’s Rachel Smith, and headlined with Jelly Roll and Kane Brown. Other performers throughout the televised special included Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Post Malone, Lainey Wilson and more.

“I should've been a cowboy/ I should've learned to rope and ride/ Wearin' my six-shooter, ridin' my pony on a cattle drive/ Stealin' the young girls' hearts/ Just like Gene and Roy/ Singin' those campfire songs/ Woah, I should've been a cowboy”

The Beautifully Broken star included a rendition of Keith’s “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” during his live performance in Nashville. Jelly Roll also honored Keith while visiting the Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral, and performing “My List” during the Toby Keith: American Icon tribute show. Keith released “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” on his self-titled debut album in 1993. He became known for that song, in addition to “I Love This Bar,” “God Love Her,” ”As Good As I Once Was” and many other hits throughout his decades-long career. Keith died in February 2024 after a years-long battle with stomach cancer. He was 62. The Oklahoma-born singer-songwriter, who was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October, is survived by his wife, Tricia Covel, his three children and his grandchildren.

John E. Kage