For the Reporter

Celebrate a night of country music on Saturday, Sept. 15, when Toby Keith brings his Should’ve Been A Cowboy Tour XXV presented by Ford F-Series to the Washington State Fair.

Special guest Ned LeDoux will also take the stage.

The familiar maxim of the triple threat – singer, songwriter, entertainer – doesn’t begin to cover it for Keith, one of the modern era’s most complete self-directed hit makers. From the moment Keith’s debut single “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” shot up the charts to become his first No. 1, the engine driving everything else has been the music.

He writes it. He arranges and produces it. And he releases it on his own record label, Show Dog Nashville. At the core is his songwriting, as recognized in his 2015 induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in New York City. The Nashville Songwriters Association International named him Songwriter/Artist of the Decade, and he is a three-time BMI Country Songwriter/Artist of the Year. His songs have received more than 90 million BMI performances on commercial radio stations worldwide. Keith’s albums have sold more than 40 million copies.

In country music, a last name like LeDoux casts a big, storied and bittersweet shadow, but it’s one Ned LeDoux doesn’t mind standing in one bit. Having been a drummer in his dad Chris’ band Western Underground since 1998, Ned knew from an early age that he had “no plan b” but to play music. “Once I got the taste of the road, and being in front of a crowd and just the sound of it, it was … freedom,” LeDoux said.

When his dad passed away in 2005 from cancer, Ned continued to tour with his father’s band to keep the musical spirit of Chris LeDoux alive. This drove him to pick up the guitar and try his hand at some of his dad’s songs. It started with “Rodeo Man,” and before long Ned had a whole catalogue of his father’s early hits ready to play.

Pre-sale tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 7. Visit thefair.com and join the free E-Club for access to the best seats and ticket offers. E-Club members get the opportunity to buy tickets to all shows in the Columbia Bank Concert Series lineup, before the general public.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 10. Prices are $95, $80 and $70 and include Fair gate admission. Tickets will be available on the fair website or by phone at 888-559-FAIR (3247) daily, 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased in person at the state fair’s box office, 9th Avenue SW and Meridian Street on most Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Online and phone purchases are subject to standard processing fees. Tickets purchased on site will be charged a $3 per ticket service fee.

For more information on pre-show party availability, visit online.

The Toby Keith concert is the third to be announced in the Washington State Fair’s 2018 Columbia Bank Concert Series. Tickets will also go on sale for other artists in the coming months.

Concerts to date are:

Date, performance, time, prices (including fair gate admission)

Sept. 15 – Toby Keith (country) 7:30 p.m., $95, $80, $70

Sept. 22 – Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias (comedy) 7:30 p.m., $65, $60, $45

Sept. 23 – Rascal Flatts (country) 7:30 p.m., $90, $80, $60

For more information about the Aug. 31- Sept. 23 state fair (closed Tuesdays and Sept. 5), visit thefair.com.