Country Music star Toby Keith passes at 62

By Ron Wynn

NASHVILLE, TN — Accolades from across the entertainment world have poured in since the passing Monday night of country vocalist/actor Toby Keith. Keith, 62, died of stomach cancer, which he had been battling the past few years. The news was announced on Keith’s official website as well as his various social media channels. “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5, surrounded by his family,” the statement reads. “He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”

In June 2022, Keith revealed that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer. “I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery,” Keith wrote at the time. “So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax.”

Keith’s career was filled with hits, and he was a prolific performer, issuing at least one project every year for nearly 20 years. His biggest hits included “Red Solo Cup,” “As Good as I Once Was,” “Beer for My Horses” with Willie Nelson, “Courtesy of the Red, White & Blue (The Angry American)” and “How Do You Like Me Now?!” But his long array of recordings also included greatest hits compilations, special releases and Christmas recordings. His 1993 debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” which reached No. 1 on Billboard’s country songs chart, would eventually become the most-played country song of the decade. He’d eventually have 20 number country number ones. Others included “Who’s That Man,” “You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This,” “I Love This Bar,” “American Soldier,” “Whiskey Girl,” “As Good As I Was,” and “Love Me If You Can.”

He expanded into acting with the 2005 musical drama “Broken Bridges” directed by Steven Goldmann. In 2008, he wrote and starred in “Beer for My Horses,” based on his hit song of the same name. Keith also helped found Big Machine Records in 2005 alongside former DreamWorks exec Scott Borchetta, which would subsequently launch the careers of several stars including Taylor Swift. His honors included the National Medal of the Arts, The Country Icon Award at the first People’s Choice Country Awards, and the BMI Icon Award, as well as induction into the Songwriters Hall of Fame. “I always felt that the songwriting was the most important part of this whole industry,” Keith told a crowd of fellow singers and writers upon receiving the BMI award in 2022, only a few months after the announcement of his stomach cancer diagnosis.