History Wars Afghanistan War

That time a mortar attack interrupted Toby Keith’s Kandahar USO concert

In 2008, Toby Keith was in Kandahar, Afghanistan, performing for the troops, when a mortar attack interrupted the show. After taking cover and signing autographs, Keith didn't miss a beat.
Shannon Corbeil Avatar

In 2008, Toby Keith was in Kandahar, Afghanistan, on one of his many USO tours when a mortar attack interrupted the show.

The singer and the crowd of 2,500 service members, took cover in a nearby shelter for about an hour where Keith posed for photos and autographs. Pretty standard mortar attack pastime.

Once given the “all clear,” Keith went right back up on stage and finished his concert — starting from the verse where he left off.

Here’s video from the concert where he sang the “Taliban Song,” just because he could:

Keith was a strong supporter of the U.S. military, performing 11 USO tours overseas for service members. He repeatedly visited Afghanistan and Iraq during the Global War on Terror and was well known for his patriotism, love of country and respect for those in uniform. Keith passed away from stomach cancer on February 5, 2024 at the age of 62.