Country musicians Toby Keith and Ricky Skaggs were presented with the National Medal of the Arts by President Donald Trump on Wednesday. The presentation took place on the same day that the U.S. House of Representatives voted to impeach Trump for the second historic time, in the wake of the violent Capitol insurrection on January 6.
Because of Keith’s unwavering military support and chauvinistic hymns like “Courtesy of Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”, the Oklahoma native has long been considered a conservative Republican, although, as he explained to Chicago Tribune, he is actually a former Democrat who is no longer affiliated with any of the parties. In 2017, he performed at Trump’s inauguration ceremony, attracting some criticism.
Skaggs was introduced to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2018. A lifelong republican and evangelical Christian, he expressed his support for Trump in a 2016 interview with Gospel Herald. “I Love [Trump’s] enthusiasm and fighting spirit, ”he said. “He is not going to let anyone bring him down because he is a bulldozer himself. Mr. Trump is someone who destroys and rebuilds. I believe that Donald Trump is the right person in the right place, and that is prophetic. ”
Skaggs began his career in bluegrass and brought elements of the genre to country radio with songs like “Heartbroke”, “Highway 40 Blues” and “Country Boy”, the video featuring the great bluegrass Bill Monroe. Keith, on the other hand, has been an eternal creator of country radio hits, with hits rich in images like “Should Have Been a Cowboy”, the stridently patriotic “American Soldier” and the novelty “Red Solo Cup”. Both have been relatively quiet for the past few years – Keith released the singles “That’s Country Bro” in 2019 and “What’s Up Cuz” in 2020, although neither has been registered. Skaggs’ latest new song was released in 2014.
This is only the second time in his presidency of a term that Trump has presented the National Medal of the Arts. In 2019, he paid tribute to Alison Krauss, arts benefactor Sharon Percy Rockefeller, U.S. military musicians and actor Jon Voight. Trump tried to present the New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick with the Freedom Medal earlier this week. The coach refused.
A Keith representative declined to comment. A Skaggs representative did not respond to a request for comment.