Legendary country music singer-songwriter Toby Keith passed away Monday night following an 18-month battle with stomach cancer. He was 62.
Keith, born Toby Keith Covel in on July 8, 1961 in Clinton Oklahoma, burst onto the music in 1993 with his debut single “Should Have Been a Cowboy.” He went on to release 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums. Keith has sold over 40 million albums, charted 61 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, had 20 number one hits, and 22 other top 10 singles.
Keith received numerous awards and accolades during his career. In 2015 he was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and he performed for Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
In 2022, he announced that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. Keith released what would be his final album in 2021 titled “Peso in My Pocket.”
In recent months, Keith had made several media appearances and even performed live in December. In interviews, he openly discussed his faith and how his faith gave him strength as he continued to battle his disease. Monday night, surrounded by friends and family, that battle ended and Keith received his reward.
Keith’s family released a statement Tuesday morning: “Toby Keith passed away peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”