"Honkytonk U" is the title of a song written and recorded by American country music

Country music

Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...

 artist Toby Keith

Toby Keith

Toby Keith Covel , best known as Toby Keith, is an American country music singer-songwriter, record producer and actor. Keith released his first four studio albums — 1993's Toby Keith, 1994's Boomtown, 1996's Blue Moon and 1997's Dream Walkin, plus a Greatest Hits package for various divisions of...

. It was released in February 2005 as the lead-off single, and partial title track to his 2005 album Honkytonk University

Honkytonk University

Honkytonk University is an album by country music singer Toby Keith, released in 2005. The album has been certified 2× Multi-Platinum for sales of in excess of 2 million units....

. It peaked at #8 in the United States, and #6 in Canada.

Content

The song describe's Toby Keith's past and early career stages, and when he used to go to his grandmother's nightclub every summer and work until late at night when he got to sit with the band.

Reception

Kevin John Coyne, reviewing the song for Country Universe, gave it a negative rating. He summed up his review by stating that this song an example of why Keith doesn't win Grammy Awards.

Music video

The music video was directed by Michael Salomon. The beginning shows Toby Keith as a child working at his grandmother's nightclub, called Billie's night club in Fort Smith, Arkansas

Fort Smith, Arkansas

Fort Smith is the second-largest city in Arkansas and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County. With a population of 86,209 in 2010, it is the principal city of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area, a region of 298,592 residents which encompasses the Arkansas...

in 1972. Then it cuts to Toby Keith singing the song at the stage in the present day (2005). At the end, there is a dedication to his late grandmother, who died the same month.

Chart positions

"Honkytonk U" debuted at #30 on the U.S. Billboard Hot Country Singles & Tracks for the week of February 12, 2005.

Chart (2005)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard Hot Country Songs	8
U.S. Billboard Hot 100	61
Canada R&R Country Singles	6