Toby Keith rocks Boston, Pittsburgh, Raleigh & Mexico

NEW YORK (Dreamworks Records) - Singer/songwriter and country music superstar Toby Keith recently launched his 2004 "Big Throwdown" tour with a record-setting crowd in attendance, and his latest single has exploded onto the charts for the highest debut of his career.

A whopping 40,000-plus screaming fans were in attendance at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass. outside Boston for the first show of Keith's highly-anticipated tour. Organizers say the July 24 crowd was the largest for an all country music show in North America this year. Keith followed with first weekend ticket sales of more than 21,000 for his Pittsburgh date, 20,000 in Washington and 18,700 in Philadelphia.

Keith's show in Raleigh, N.C. this past weekend was another 20,000-plus sellout, with the Raleigh News & Observer intoning, "...the burly, big-voiced Oklahoman proved that when it comes time to throw down, Keith is second to none. Keith had the crowd with him from the start..."

Most recently, Keith celebrated the career-best debut of his new single "Stays In Mexico." The song was a first-week Breaker in Radio & Records, and the Hot Shot Debut in Billboard. On Radio & Records' chart this week it landed at No 20 and Billboard has it at No 23. The song advances the release of Keith's next album, "Toby Keith Greatest Hits 2," which will be in stores November 9.
And so the two time running Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year's momentum continues. His sold-out spring tour, multi-platinum Shock 'N Y'all album and four ACM wins now seem but a prelude to what's shaping up as a blockbuster Fall for Toby Keith.