Toby Keith dies at 62 after battle with stomach cancer
Toby Keith died on Monday, February 5 after a battle with stomach cancer, his family announced on Tuesday, February 6. He was 62.
“Toby Keith passed away peacefully last night, February 5, surrounded by his family. He fought his battle with grace and courage,” read a statement shared on social media. “Please respect his family's privacy at this time.”
Keith revealed in June 2022 that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer months earlier.
“I have undergone chemotherapy, radiation and surgery over the past six months. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax,” he said at the time. “I'm looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I'll see the fans sooner rather than later. I can not wait.”
A year later, the “I Love This Bar” singer tried to stay positive and hoped to tour again.
“I feel pretty good. In short, everything is in a really positive trend. With cancer you never know, so you have to prepare,” he said The Oklahoman in June 2023, adding that his tumor had shrunk during chemotherapy treatments. 'I have more wind. And I'm thinking about getting the band in and setting it up, playing somewhere for two or three days, just to see if I can get through the two hours. All I have to do is see if I can get through two or three nights of work and get a little break from this chemotherapy, and then we'll go back to work.
Keith last stepped out at the People's Choice Country Awards to accept the Country Icon Award.
“I was doing well, just rocking and rolling. I walked through dark corridors, Almighty rides a shotgun,” he told Extra at the time. “You have good days and bad days… it's a bit of a rollercoaster, but I'm doing a lot better than this time last year.”
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Over the course of his long career, Keith released 19 studio albums and had 20 No. 1 hits on the Billboard Hot Country chart, including 1993's “Should've Been a Cowboy” (reportedly the most played country song of the decade) , and 1993's “Should've Been a Cowboy” (reportedly the most played country song of the decade), “How Do You Like Me Now?!”, with 2003's “Beer for My Horses” Willie Nelson and more.
Keith leaves behind a wife Tricia Lucuswhom he married in 1984, their three children and four grandchildren.