TOBY KEITH SHOULD OF BEEN A COWBOY – ABOUT TOBY KEITH’S SONGS, HEALTH, AND TRAGIC DEATH
Toby Keith
Toby Keith, the country artist, gained recognition for his songs that celebrated patriotism and revelry. He commenced his career in the early 1990s with an eponymous debut album that achieved platinum status in 1994. Keith composed the song Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American) as a response to the events of 9/11. The song resonated with military members but also generated controversy. The recipient of the Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year award on two occasions regularly entertained personnel of the United States military.
Toby Keith has achieved multiplatinum status with his albums Unleashed and Shock’n Y’all in the early 2000s, both of which reached the No. 1 position on the charts. Some of his most well-received tunes include Should’ve Been a Cowboy, Red Solo Cup, and the Grammy-nominated collaboration Beer For My Horses with Willie Nelson. Keith disclosed in 2022 that he was diagnosed with gastric cancer. The renowned music icon passed away at the age of 62 on February 5, 2024.
- Quick Facts
| FULL NAME | Toby Keith Covel |
| BORN | July 8, 1961 |
| DIED | February 5, 2024 |
| BIRTHPLACE | Clinton, Oklahoma |
| SPOUSE | Tricia Lucus (1984-2024) |
| CHILDREN | Shelley, Krystal, and Stelen |
| ASTROLOGICAL SIGN | Cancer |
Toby Keith’s Formative Years
Toby Keith Covel, a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, was born in Clinton, Oklahoma on July 8, 1961. Keith, who was brought up in Oklahoma City, commenced his musical pursuits at an early stage, having been motivated by the musicians employed at his grandmother’s supper club. Following a period of employment in the oil sector and participating in defensive positions in the USFL football league, he made the choice to embark on a profession in music.
- Music Career Beginnings
During the early 1990s, Toby Keith entered into a contract with Mercury Records. By 1994, his debut album, released the year before, had achieved platinum certification. His subsequent albums, Boomtown(1994) and Blue Moon (1996), had equal popularity due to the inclusion of popular tracks like Who’s That Man and Me Too. In 1997, he collaborated with Sting to produce the song I’m So Happy I Can’t Stop Crying, which resulted in a Grammy nomination for the duo. It was Keith’s first of seven during the course of his career.
Toby Keith achieved further success with his 1999 album How Do You Like Me Now?!, which received the prestigious Album of the Year award at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards. Additionally, Keith was recognized as the Top Male Vocalist. Following that, Keith achieved a career milestone with his album Pull My Chain (2001) by reaching the top position on the country album charts. In conclusion of the year 2001, the singer was awarded his inaugural Country Music Association (CMA) Award for his outstanding performance as the Male Vocalist of the Year.
Toby Keith’s Professional Musical Career
- Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue
In addition, in 2001, Keith’s father tragically lost his life in a traffic collision. Keith was motivated to write the controversial song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American) as a result of the incident, as well as the events of September 11. The song gained immense popularity, especially among military members. The song was released in May 2002 as part of his album Unleashed and has now achieved multi-platinum status.
Toby Keith’s album Unleashed reached the top spot on the Billboard 200 chart, making it his first No. 1 album. The album also featured a successful duet with Willie Nelson titled Beer for My Horses. The melody received nominations for two Grammy Awards: Best Country Song and Best Country Collaboration With Vocals.
Keith received the title of Entertainer of the Year from the Academy of Country Music in both 2002 and 2003. In 2003, he garnered extra media attention when he publicly clashed with Natalie Maines, the lead vocalist of the Chicks. Keith and Maines engaged in a heated exchange, during which Maines expressed her opinion that the song Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)portrayed country music in an uninformed manner. Keith was deeply offended by Maine’s statement expressing her remorse towards President George W. Bush during a concert. During his own live performances, he displayed images of Maines resembling Saddam Hussein on a television screen while performing his popular patriotic anthem.
- Country Stardom
Toby Keith launched his album Shock’n Y’All in November 2003, and it achieved the highest position on both the country and pop album charts. The title of the track is a clever reference to the military phrase shock and awe used during the Iraq War. Additionally, his tribute to the soldiers, titled American Soldier, achieved significant recognition. Furthermore, he maintained his authentic and down-to-earth persona by producing songs like I Love This Bar and demonstrated his comedic side with Weed With Willie, a narrative about engaging in marijuana consumption with Willie Nelson. Keith won another ACM Award for Album of the Year with his album Shock’n Y’all.
In his subsequent work, the album Honkytonk University released in 2005, he collaborated with the renowned country music legend Merle Haggard on the song She Ain’t Hooked on Me No More. The primary hit from the album was the song As Good As I Once Was, which contributed to the album Honkytonk University reaching the number one position on the country charts for a duration of seven weeks. The music video for the song also received the CMA Award for Music Video of the Year. In the same year, Keith received recognition from his home state as he was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame.
The album White Trash with Money was released in 2006 and included popular songs including the lively celebration of a fun-filled evening titled Get Drunk and Be Somebody and the nostalgic melody A Little Too Late. The album not only achieved significant sales but also garnered numerous favorable reviews.
- USO Tour and Film
In 2007, Toby Keith unveiled two highly successful albums, Big Dog Daddy and A Classic Christmas, which resonated strongly with the consumer base of music enthusiasts. Keith and his family successfully handled a highly challenging personal issue during this period, as they reached a settlement in their lawsuit about the fatal 2001 accident that claimed his father’s life.
Subsequently, Toby Keith played the leading role in the comedic film Beer for My Horses as a constable in a small town. In the movie, he apprehends a Mexican narcotics kingpin, resulting in the abduction of his romantic partner by the kingpin’s sibling. Keith collaborated in writing the screenplay and was involved in the production of the movie, which included appearances by Ted Nugent and Willie Nelson. Some reviews criticized the film.
- More Hit Songs: Re Solo Cup, Made In America, and Don’t Let the Old Man In
Keith’s success as a performer continued to flourish behind the scenes. In 2008, he published the album That Don’t Make Me a Bad Guy, which reached the top position on the country album charts, and produced two successful songs, namely God Love Her and Lost You Anyway. Keith, a well-liked performer, consistently maintained a demanding schedule of live performances. In 2009, Toby Keith’s America’s Toughest Tour included performances in both the United States and Europe.
Toby Keith debuted American Ride in 2009 and Bullets in the Gun in 2010, however, it was in 2011 that the singer received even greater recognition from critics. The 2011 album Clancy’s Tavern by the artist included the popular songs Made in America and Red Solo Cup, the latter of which was co-written by The Warren Brothers, as well as Brett and Jim Beavers. Upon encountering the widely popular YouTube song, Keith collaborated with the ensemble to produce a rendition and include it in his album.
Toby Keith agreed to participate in Donald Trump’s pre-inauguration concert at the Lincoln Memorial on January 19, 2017. Nevertheless, he stated that his presence was intended to benefit the nation, rather than to endorse a specific leader or political faction.
Keith drew inspiration for his upcoming song from an unexpected source: the renowned film actor and director, Clint Eastwood. During the 2018 Eastwood golf tournament, the singer became aware of the forthcoming movie The Mule by the soon-to-be 88-year-old actor. Intrigued, the singer inquired about the source of Eastwood’s enduring vitality.
Don’t Let the Old Man In demonstrated enduring popularity, reaching its highest position at No. 1 on the Country Digital Song Sales chart in October 2023 following Keith’s performance at the People’s Choice Country Awards. Additionally, he collaborated with BMLG Records to distribute the song on country radio during that period.
Keith was bestowed the National Medal of Arts by President Trump in January 2021. After a period of nine months, Keith unveiled his ultimate original album, titled Peso in My Pocket, with the well-received hits Happy Birthday America and Old School. In December of the same year, the singer was honored with the BMI Icon Award.
Keith’s latest album, titled 100% Songwriter released in 2023, showcased a compilation of his early career successes like Should’ve Been a Cowboy, You Shouldn’t Kiss Me Like This, and Who’s That Man. In December 2023, one month after its debut, the streaming site Pandora honored the country artist with a Billionaire award for his songs, which had accumulated 3 billion streams.
- Net Worth
Keith’s net worth, as reported by Celebrity Net Worth, was approximately $400 million as of early February 2024.
The Personal Life of Toby Keith
Toby Keith wedded Tricia Lucus in 1984. Lucus and Keith encountered one other at a pub shortly after Lucus completed his secondary education in 1979. The vocalist had secured employment as an oil field laborer, concurrently performing at nearby establishments with his musical ensemble known as the Easy Money Band. Lucus was 19 years old, while Keith was 20 years old.
He exemplified the archetype of charismatic individuals, brimming with self-assurance. The pair engaged in a romantic relationship for a duration of three years prior to getting married. In 2006, Lucus assisted Keith in establishing the Toby Keith Foundation, which aims to provide support to children and their families who are engaged in a battle against cancer. The couple bore two offspring: a female progeny named Krystal, delivered in 1985, and a male offspring named Stelen, brought forth in 1997.
Keith further assumed guardianship of Lucus’ daughter Shelley following their marriage. Krystal, following in her father’s footsteps, pursued a career in music. However, in recent years, she has chosen to prioritize parenting her two girls and has thus withdrawn from the public eye. On the other hand, Stelen invests in real estate properties.
Diagnosis of Cancer and Death
Keith disclosed in June 2022 that he had been receiving medical intervention for gastric cancer since autumn 2021. He underwent a surgical procedure and received chemotherapy and radiation therapies for a duration of six months. Nevertheless, he was enthusiastic to resume his performances. He expressed his anticipation for spending that week with his family.
However, he will encounter the fans in the near future, since he was unable to delay his meeting with them. During a December 2022 interview with CMT Hot 20, the vocalist expressed a positive outlook regarding his medical prognosis. In June 2023, Keith reported to The Oklahoman that the therapies had proven effective, stating that his tumor had decreased in size by one-third and that his overall health had improved. Keith was present at the September 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards, when he was honored with the Country Music Icon Award.
Following his victory speech, Keith delivered his inaugural public performance since his diagnosis by singing Don’t Let the Old Man In. In addition, he performed at Park MGM in Las Vegas for a duration of three nights during that December. Nevertheless, his enhanced well-being was short-lived. Keith passed away serenely on February 5, 2024, as stated in an announcement on his website. At the time of his demise, the 62-year-old was in the presence of his family.