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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Toby Keith’s final recorded vocal was “Ships That Don’t Come In,” a version of Joe Diffie’s song recorded with Luke Combs for HARDY’s HIXTAPE Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE. The tribute album was released in March 2024, after Keith’s death in February; a studio video of the session premiered on August 29, 2024.
What was Toby Keith’s final song with Luke Combs?
The recording is “Ships That Don’t Come In.” It features Keith and Combs, alongside previously unheard vocals by Diffie. Coverage identified it as Keith’s final recorded vocal, or final studio song—not as a newly written Toby Keith song or a final solo single.
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The track appears on HIXTAPE Vol. 3: DIFFTAPE, a 17-song collaboration project honoring Diffie’s life and music. Keith and Combs recorded their contribution before Keith died in February 2024. The album followed in March; the studio video, including behind-the-scenes footage, premiered August 29, 2024. iHeartCountry Radio’s report and MusicRow’s coverage describe the recording and video release.
How the recording connects to Joe Diffie
“Ships That Don’t Come In” was written by Dave Gibson and Paul Nelson and released by Diffie on his 1992 album Regular Joe. Diffie’s original reached No. 5 on the country chart, according to American Songwriter’s 2024 account. The DIFFTAPE version revisits that song, drawing on Diffie’s voice as well as Keith and Combs’s performances.
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Combs tied the collaboration to his own history with both artists. He said, “I grew up listening to both of those guys’ music, so to be a part of this version of the song and it now be Toby’s last recording is kind of hard to put into words.” He also recalled that Diffie was present when Combs was inducted into the Opry and gave him his Opry member award. Combs said that connection made recording one of Diffie’s songs, especially this one, “even better.”
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Why the timeline matters
The session took place before Keith’s death; the later video release did not document a posthumous recording session. The recording was part of a project honoring Diffie, and the video made the session visible to audiences months after Keith’s final vocal had been captured. Rolling Stone’s report also identifies the track as Keith’s final studio song and notes the use of Diffie vocals recorded in 2016.
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