Toby Keith to Rock Tinley Park

On Sept. 18, Tinley is going country.

Country music superstar Toby Keith is riding into to Tinley Park's First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre behind his 15th full-length studio album, American Ride. The concert will bring country fans from throughout the region to see what the Southland has to offer.

"I've been to about five or six (Keith concerts)," said Tonia Drebos, who will be coming to Tinley from north suburban Niles for the show. "It's always a really fun time. It's a bunch of people singing out loud and having a good time. It's always laid back, relaxed and fun."

For country music fan Richard Marchant, Keith's place is cemented in the country pantheon.

"I started listening to him seven or eight years ago," Marchant said. "He's a good ol' boy who makes good music with a clear message. He's always been a real person and easy to relate to. I'm very discriminating when it comes to country music. Toby Keith is probably number three all-time behind Hank Williams and Willie Nelson."

Keith's fans embrace his live performances, citing the singer's energy and straight-forward approach.

Since releasing his self-titled debut in 1993, 17 of Keith's tracks reached No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Songs list.

Keith's American Ride tour is his most successful to date, said Keith's publicist.

"This is Toby's biggest tour yet," said Elaine Shock, Keith's publicist. "We're well over the one-million ticket mark already. He's already played for more people on this tour than on any other before."

Keith could not be interviewed. Shock said the star needs to rest his voice during the long tour.

Keith's stop in Tinley Park is the 46th of 51 stops on the American Ride tour this summer and fall. Country music artists Trace Adkins and Walker Hayes are opening. The show is scheduled to start at 7:17 p.m. Sept. 18. Check ticket availability here.

The concert comes ahead of next month's release, Bullets in the Gun.