Toby Keith passed away at the age of 62 on the night of February 5th. The singer-songwriter was beloved by millions and had many iconic hits throughout the decades.
A post was made to his Instagram account that he was surrounded by his family and loved ones. “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” the statement read. It was announced in 2022 that he was battling stomach cancer. His family requests privacy at this time.
Since his debut, self-titled, album in 1993 Keith’s career was on a trajectory for the moon. Instantly with the hit “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” there was no looking back for him. The song peaked at No.1 on the Billboard Hot Country Chart and has been a staple at Oklahoma Football games ever since. He even enlisted the help of the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL to assist with the filming of the music video. The song was certified Platinum three times and has been streamed more than 221 million times on Spotify.
After his debut album, Keith never slowed down putting out 10 albums in 13 years. It was this dedication to music and entertainment that brought in such a love for his music. People flocked to the witty sense of humor in songs from all around the country.
In 2002 his album Unleashed kicked off his brand of patriotic and humorous songs with “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” The song ended up becoming his biggest hit on the charts as it reached No. 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topped the Billboard Hot Country chart.
This instantly struck a chord with fans that grew his fan base but also stirred up some controversy among those who thought he was being too provocative in a post-9/11 world. Nonetheless, Keith kept his foot on the gas pedal and continued to put out music that he knew his core fans would enjoy and appreciate.
While his patriotism might’ve put him on top of the world with the charts, it’s the dumb wit of “Red Solo Cup” that put him on top of the world with kids and families everywhere. In the second single from his 2011 album Clancy’s Tavern Keith surprisingly didn’t have a hand in writing but he did produce the song. The song instantly polarized his fanbase as many thought it was funny and energetic and others thought it was silly and stupid. But that didn’t stop or deter him in any way. He went on to release eight more albums during his lifetime.
Keith hopped around record labels a bit due to various reasons but whoever he was with, still received the same level of hard work and creativity from him. Outside of his music career, he continued to create and entertain in any way that he could. Keith appeared on ComedyCentral, was in Ford commercials, appeared on Stephen Colbert’s 2008 Christmas Special, and more.
He also worked on and starred in the movie, Beer For My Horses. While it may not have a smash hit at the box office it’s still a cornerstone of his career. The movie featured David Allen Coe, Willie Nelson, Rodney Carrington, and more.
From a young age, Toby Keith knew the importance of money and where it can take someone. From when he attempted to enter the booming Oklahoma Oil field in the 80’s to being deemed the “Cowboy Capitalist” by Forbes Magazine in 2013. In the same year, Forbes estimated that he pulled in more revenue than Madonna, Lady Gaga, or Bon Jovi.
Keith was rather private about his cancer diagnosis until he told the public in 2022. “Cancer is a roller coaster,” he told KWTV earlier this year. “You just sit here and wait for it to go away. It might never go away.”
Since the news broke tributes have been pouring in all across social media from vastly different ends of the entertainment industry elsewhere.
“Too many rides in my old man’s car listening to Toby Keith. really hard thing to hear,” Zach Bryan said on X.
“Toby was a huge presence in our business and someone we all looked up to and respected. You and your music will be forever remembered big man” Jason Aldean posted.
The President of the University of Oklahoma put out a statement saying, “Beyond his musical talent, Toby was known for his kindness and down-to-earth personality, endearing him to fans worldwide.”
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