Toby Keith is back with ‘Trash’

Branching out
For several years Keith has enjoyed a well-earned place as one of country radio’s top-tier artists.

His most recent album, “Honkytonk University,” released in June 2005 by DreamWorks Nashville, has sold 1.5 million copies, according to Nielsen SoundScan.

Thirteen years into his career, and with 10 platinum or multiplatinum albums and 15 No. 1 singles to his credit, Keith has little left to prove. But just try telling him that.

He recently wrapped the first leg of Big Throwdown II and will hit the road again in August for about 50 more shows.

Besides his label venture, Keith is in business with Harrah’s on a successful chain of restaurants named for one of his songs, I Love This Bar & Grill. Three have opened and are doing well, and three more are planned for this year.

And he has thrown himself into the role of record-label executive, signing Emerick, Rebecca Lynn Howard, Lindsey Haun, Flynnville Train and a duo comprising former Little Texas member Tim Rushlow and his cousin, Donny Harris.

Haun is Keith’s co-star in his upcoming feature film debut, “Broken Bridges,” in which she plays his daughter. In the film, due for release by Paramount later this year, Keith plays one of the main characters, a man he describes as “an old country songwriter that drank himself into a career coma.”

Keith calls his first movie-making experience “a complete joy.” He says he knew he would be “comfortable in front of the camera,” thanks to the many videos and TV commercials he has filmed. But he adds, “I surprised myself that I did as well as I did.”

He plans to do one or two films per year, including an upcoming one he wrote based on his hit song and video “Beer for My Horses,” which he describes as being about a “fish-out-of-water cop.”

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