Toby Keith, Country Music Legend, Dead At 62
Toby Keith, the renowned country music hitmaker famous for tracks like "Red Solo Cup" and "Should've Been A Cowboy," has died at the age of 62. The singer's family revealed on his official website that he passed away on February 5th, 2024, surrounded by his loved ones. "Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time," their statement read.
Keith announced he was living with stomach cancer in a statement shared on social media in June 2022. "I've spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good," he wrote. The singer expressed his intention to spend time with his family but also added that he expected to see his fans "sooner than later." The singer is survived by his wife, Tricia Lucus, and their three adult children, Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen. He also leaves behind his mother and two siblings.
Keith released his self-titled debut album in 1993, with his first single, "Should've Been a Cowboy," swiftly climbing to the top of the country music charts in the United States and Canada. The track emerged as one of the most-played country songs of the '90s, and together with subsequent releases, solidified Keith's position as one of the genre's leading stars.
Tributes pour in for Toby Keith
Following the news of Toby Keith's tragic death, many flocked to social media to pay tribute to the late country star. "Too many rides in my old man's car listening to Toby Keith," fellow country singer Zach Bryan penned on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Really hard thing to hear rest in peace friend we love you." John Rich of country duo Big & Rich also took to X to pay his respects, writing, "Waking up to the terrible news that our friend, and legend @tobykeith has passed away from cancer. He was a true Patriot, a first class singer/songwriter, and a bigger than life kind of guy. He will be greatly missed."
Fans also took a moment to pay tribute to Keith. "RIP Toby Keith. He was one of the reasons I got into country music many years ago. Cancer sucks & took an icon far too soon," one wrote on X. "Damn RIP Toby Keith I'll never forget being on the bus in 6th grade and everyone singing red solo cup on the bus ride," another added. A third described Keith as "one of the greatest musicians of all time" while revealing he first began listening to Keith as a kid.
During his decades-spanning career, Keith grossed over $300 million from touring and sold over 40 million records. This unsurprisingly earned him a spot on Rolling Stone's Greatest Country Artists of All Time. But while Keith enjoyed his successful run in the industry, the singer grappled with a fear of losing himself to fame. "The biggest fear you can have in this business is failure. But I've also got a little bit of a fear about being too successful, being too famous," he shared at the 2017 Country Radio Seminar (via The Boot).