Renowned country singer Toby Keith dies at 62 after battle with stomach cancer

By CNN Newsource

Published February 6, 2024 1:36 AM

By Sara Smart and Lauren Mascarenhas, CNN

(CNN) — Country singer Toby Keith died Monday at the age of 62 after a battle with stomach cancer.

“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,” a statement posted to Keith’s website and social media said.

Elaine Schock, who has been Keith’s publicist since 2003, confirmed his death to CNN. He leaves behind his wife, Tricia, and three children, Shelley, Krystal and Stelen, his publicist told CNN. His mother and two siblings survive him.

Keith revealed his stomach cancer diagnosis in 2022.

“I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax,” he said in a statement at the time. “I am looking forward to spending time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later.”

He continued performing, recently playing shows in Las Vegas.

Earlier this month, he posted a video offering advice to other songwriters. “Just toil away every day,” he said.

Keith said most of his catalog was created while he was writing at least four to five days a week. “You gotta have volume, you gotta have practice, and you gotta keep your chops up, and you gotta stay in the middle of the game,” he said.

Keith performed at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards in September and received the Country Icon Award.

He released his debut album in 1993 and is known for hits including “Red Solo Cup” and “I Wanna Talk About Me.” His 2002 song “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” released in the aftermath of the 9/11 attacks, made him a household name.

Keith performed hundreds of shows for US service members abroad, including in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as at events for Presidents Donald Trump, Barack Obama and George W. Bush.

He sometimes gifted wounded veterans with wheelchairs at his concerts.

A self-described third-generation Democrat, Keith told CNN in 2010 that his support of service members had nothing to do with politics.

“There’s not one single thing political about supporting the troops,” he said.

In 2021, then-President Trump awarded Keith the National Medal of Arts, which the National Endowment for the Arts describes as “the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government.”

This story has been updated with additional information.

CNN’s Marianne Garvey, Raja Razek, Amanda Jackson and Susannah Cullinane contributed to this report.