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Toby Keith & Willie Nelson's Duet “Beer for My Horses” Is Wild & Exhilarating
The country anthem's release was a historic moment for both beer and horses.
The late Toby Keith has graced fans with countless bops throughout the decades, and many would agree that "Beer for My Horses" — his duet with Willie Nelson's that inspired a movie of the same name — remains one of the country powerhouses' greatest hits.
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Released in 2003 as part of Keith's seventh studio album Unleashed, "Beer for My Horses" is a patriotic rock ballad about the frustrations of injustice. Willie Nelson's rustic charm and Keith's whirlwind storytelling were a magic-making combo, making "Beer for My Horses" a timeless fan favorite.
Toby Keith and Willie Nelson's "Beer for My Horses"
Keith and Nelson's duet "Beer for My Horses" is a ballad about the frustrations of the criminal justice system's reach — and the desire to take matters into our own hands. The song was inspired by Western films, leading Keith to think of Nelson as a potential collaborator.
"I said, 'It's so Old West that I want Willie Nelson to sing part of it...'" Keith recalled in a 2023 interview with AXS TV.
And, when Keith told Nelson the song's title, Nelson was entirely on board. "[Nelson] said, 'I don't even need to hear it, I'm in.'"
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Upon its 2003 release, the song quickly became a modern classic. Between Keith's booming baritone and Nelson's legendary grit, the song instantly snags the listener's attention and takes them on a wild ride.
The chorus, where Nelson joins Keith, becomes a rallying cry that's as easy to sing along to as it is to remember: "Whiskey for my men, beer for my horses."
The music video for "Beer for My Horses" is straight out of an episode of Law & Order. Starring Keith and Nelson, it follows a small squad of detectives as they go after an infamous serial killer who keeps eluding authorities.
Toby Keith's film Beer for My Horses
"Beer for My Horses" became such a cultural phenomenon that it inspired a feature-length film of the same name.
Beer for My Horses premiered in 2008 and featured Keith and Nelson starring opposite Rodney Carrington, Ted Nugent, Barry Corbin, and Claire Forlani.
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Beer for My Horses is a buddy cop film about best friends Joe (Keith) and Lonnie (Rodney Carrington), who are also sheriffs in a small Oklahoman town. Their quiet life of pig-hunting and drinking is disrupted when they get involved in a drug case.
Beer for My Horses won a 2009 Tex Ritter Film Award.
What awards did Toby Keith win for "Beer for My Horses"?
"Beer for My Horses" peaked at 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and spent six weeks at number-one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs.
As one of Keith's best-known songs, it's no surprise that it received several award nominations, including a 2003 Academy of Country Music nomination for Vocal Event of the Year. The video won the ACM for Video of the Year in 2004.
"Beer for My Horses" also received two 2004 Grammy nominations: Best Country Collaboration with Vocals and Best Country Song.
Watch Toby Keith: American Icon on NBC on Wednesday, August 28 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
