Toby Keith

To put that in perspective, consider that Keith’s time-worn system had yielded a succession of No. 1 albums from which he enjoyed at least one top 5 or better hit every year, beginning with his first single, ‘Should’ve Been A Cowboy’ in 1993. Easily overlooked by those with preconceived notions, the innate talent, highly developed craftsmanship and undeniable intelligence Keith brings to bear on each successive album are readily apparent to the committed listener.

Plenty of artists get older and more mature, but few if any in the history of popular recording can boast an 18-year career without an extended absence from the top of the charts. ‘ You’ve got to keep growing and getting better as a writer. That’s how I’ve gotten to 70 million career airplay spins. You have to do the work it takes to be good enough to hang around this long.’

Bullets helps define another of Keith’s islands with its nod to his live performances, which have been selling out venues nationwide for more than a decade. The Deluxe Edition features four tracks from his spring 2010 ‘Incognito Bandito’ club show. Carefully crafted from nearly two decades of experience or fearlessly captured in the moment, music is the measure for Keith. Which is why the descriptions he has most willingly accepted for himself over the years are, fittingly: Singer, songwriter and entertainer. Bullets In The Gun finds all three, and Toby Keith, in high definition.