Country music icon Toby Keith has sadly passed away at the age of 62. His official website and social media accounts confirmed the news early Tuesday, Feb. 6, after 2 years of battling stomach cancer.
“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
View this post on Instagram
In 2022, Toby took to social media to reveal that he was undergoing chemotherapy and radiation treatments for stomach cancer, a battle he had been facing since the fall of 2021.
As time went on, Toby became more candid about his fight against the illness, sharing his experiences in various interviews. In a recent News 9 interview held at his home in Oklahoma, he spoke openly about still being in treatment, describing his journey with cancer like a roller coaster ride.
“Cancer is a roller coaster, so it’s like, you just sit here and wait on it to go away, and it may not ever go away,” he said at the time.
Despite the challenges he faced, Toby found peace and strength in his Christian faith, which guided him through the uncertainties of his treatment and its eventual outcome.
View this post on Instagram
Toby Keith’s music career was nothing short of extraordinary. With 19 studio albums, 2 Christmas albums, and 5 compilation albums, he sold over 40 million albums worldwide. He had an impressive 61 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including 20 number one hits and 22 top 10 hits.
Toby’s passing leaves behind his longtime wife, Tricia Covel, their three children, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen, and multiple grandchildren.
View this post on Instagram
In September 2023, Toby Keith returned to the stage for the first time since he had announced his diagnosis to be honored with the Country Icon Award at the first People’s Choice Country Awards. Motivated by the support, he made a comeback with a three-show run at Dolby Love at Park MGM in Las Vegas.
Toby Keith’s passing leaves a hole in the heart of country music, but his music will be remembered and cherished by fans everywhere, forever.