Toby Keith | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Keith in 2007 | |
| Born | Toby Keith Covel (1961-07-08)July 8, 1961 Clinton, Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Died | February 5, 2024(2024-02-05) (aged 62) Oklahoma, U.S. |
| Occupations |
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| Years active | 1993–2024 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 3, includingKrystal |
| Musical career | |
| Genres | Country |
| Instruments |
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| Labels |
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| Website | tobykeith |
Musical artist | |
Toby Keith Covel (July 8, 1961 – February 5, 2024) was an Americancountry music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and businessman. He used the stage nameToby Keith since early in his music career.
Keith released his chart-topping debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy", in 1993. During the 1990s, Keith released his first four studio albums, each of which earnedgold or higher certification. Keith's breakthrough single, "How Do You Like Me Now?!", was the title track to his 1999 albumHow Do You Like Me Now?! The single was the number one country song of 2000. Keith's next three albums were certified 4× Platinum, and each album produced three number one singles. In 2005, Keith founded the label Show Dog Nashville, which later becameShow Dog-Universal Music. Keith also made his acting debut in 2006, starring in the filmBroken Bridges. He co-starred with comedianRodney Carrington in the 2008 filmBeer for My Horses, inspired by his song "Beer for My Horses".
In all, Keith released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over 40 million albums. He charted 61 singles on theBillboardHot Country Songs charts, including 20 number one hits and 22 additional top 10 hits. His longest-lasting number one hits are "Beer for My Horses" (a 2003 duet withWillie Nelson) and "As Good as I Once Was" (2005). He was nominated for sevenGrammy Awards.[1] Keith was awarded theNational Medal of Arts by PresidentDonald Trump in a closed ceremony alongsideRicky Skaggs on January 13, 2021.[2]
Keith died on February 5, 2024, fromstomach cancer.[3] He wasinducted into theCountry Music Hall of Fame in 2024, having been elected just hours after his death.[4]
Toby Keith Covel was born on July 8, 1961, inClinton, Oklahoma, to Carolyn Joan (née Ross) and Hubert K. Covel Jr.[5][6][7] He had a sister and a brother. The family lived inFort Smith, Arkansas, for a few years when Keith was in grade school but moved toMoore, Oklahoma (a suburb ofOklahoma City), when he was still young.[5][7] Before the family moved to Moore, he visited his grandmother in Fort Smith during the summers. His grandmother owned Billie Garner'sSupper Club in Fort Smith,[5] where Keith became interested in the musicians who came there to play. He did odd jobs around the supper club and started getting up on the bandstand to play with the band. He got his first guitar at the age of eight.[7]
After the family moved to Moore, Keith attended Southgate Elementary,[8] Highland West Junior High andMoore High School, where he playeddefensive end on thefootball team.[5]
Keith graduated from Moore High School[9] and worked as aderrick hand in the oil fields. He worked his way up to become a supervisor. When Keith was 20, he and his friends formed the Easy Money Band, which played at local bars androadhouses[3] as he continued to work in the oil industry. At times, he would have to leave in the middle of a concert if he was paged to work in the oil field.[10]
In 1982, the oil industry in Oklahoma began a rapid decline, and Keith soon found himself unemployed.[11] He fell back on his football training and tried out for the professionalOklahoma Outlaws. When he did not make the team, he joined its unofficial semi-profarm club, the Oklahoma City Drillers of theAmerican Football Association,[12] and played defensive end while continuing to perform with his band.[13] He then returned to focus once again on music.[10] The Easy Money Band then began playing thehonky-tonk circuit in Oklahoma[14] andTexas.[9]
Keith went toNashville, Tennessee, where hebusked (street performing) alongMusic Row to no avail, until producerHarold Shedd signed him withMercury Records after receiving a copy of Keith's demo tape from a flight attendant who was a fan of Keith's.[3]
Keith's debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy", went to number one[15] on the U.S.BillboardHot Country Songs chart in 1993, and it reached number 93 on theBillboard Hot 100.[16] This song led off hisself-titled debut album. Certified platinum by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of one million copies, the album produced three more Top 5 hits on the country charts with "He Ain't Worth Missing" (at No. 5),[15] "A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action" (originally theB-side of "Should've Been a Cowboy"), and "Wish I Didn't Know Now" (both at No. 2).[16]Stephen Thomas Erlewine ofAllMusic wrote of the album, "It is given a production that's a bit too big, clean, glossy and cavernous for Keith's good—it fits the outsized sound of early-'90s radio, but not his outsized talent—but beneath that sheen the songs are very strong." He also thought that it showed the signs of the style that Keith would develop on subsequent albums.[17] The album's success led to Keith touring with then-labelmatesShania Twain andJohn Brannen.[18] Keith and Twain also appeared inTracy Lawrence's music video for "My Second Home" in 1993.
Keith then signed withPolydor Records Nashville and released his second album,Boomtown, in September 1994. Also certified platinum, this album was led off by the number one single "Who's That Man". After it, "Upstairs Downtown" and "You Ain't Much Fun" both made the Top 10, while "Big Ol' Truck" peaked at number 15. By late-1995, he released his first Christmas album,Christmas to Christmas, via Mercury. Composed entirely of original songs, the album produced one chart entry in "Santa I'm Right Here", which reached as high as number 50 based on Christmas airplay.[16]
Keith then signed with the short-lived Nashville division ofA&M Records to release his third albumBlue Moon in April 1996. That album received a platinum certification and produced three singles. Its first single, "Does That Blue Moon Ever Shine on You", which Keith wrote in 1987,[19][20] peaked at number 2. Following it were "A Woman's Touch" at number 6, and "Me Too", which became his third number one hit in March 1997.[16] Keith also appeared onThe Beach Boys' now out-of-print 1996 albumStars and Stripes Vol. 1 performing a cover of their 1963 hit "Be True to Your School" with the Beach Boys themselves providing the harmonies and backing vocals.[13]
Following a corporate merger, Keith returned to Mercury in 1997. His fourth studio album,Dream Walkin', was also his first produced byJames Stroud, who would also serve as Keith's co-producer until 2005.[5] It produced two consecutive number 2 hits with "We Were in Love" and a cover ofSting's 1996 single "I'm So Happy I Can't Stop Crying". Sting also sang duet vocals and played bass guitar on it,[21] and the two also performed the song at the 1997Country Music Association awards.[22] After this song, the album'stitle track reached number 5, while "Double Wide Paradise" peaked at number 40.[16]
Keith's last Mercury release wasGreatest Hits Volume One in October 1998. The album included twelve of his prior singles and two new songs: thecountry rap "Getcha Some"[23] and "If a Man Answers". Both were released as singles, with "Getcha Some" reaching the Top 20, but "If a Man Answers" became his first single to miss the Top 40.[16] According to Keith, these two songs were originally to be put on a studio album, but Mercury executives, dissatisfied with the album that Keith had made, chose to put those two songs on a greatest hits package, and asked him to "go work on another album". After he recorded two more songs which the label also rejected, he asked to terminate his contract with the label.[18] After exiting Mercury, Keith co-wroteShane Minor's debut single "Slave to the Habit" withChuck Cannon andKostas.[24]
In 1999, Keith moved toDreamWorks Records' Nashville division, of which Stroud served as president.[25] His first release for the label was "When Love Fades", which also failed to make Top 40.[16] Upon seeing the single's poor performance, Keith requested that it be withdrawn and replaced with "How Do You Like Me Now?!", a song that he wrote with Chuck Cannon, and which had previously been turned down by Mercury.[18] It also served as the title track to his first DreamWorks album,How Do You Like Me Now?! The song spent five weeks at number 1 on the country charts, and became his first top 40 pop hit, with a number 31 peak on the Hot 100.[16] It was also the top country song of 2000 according to theBillboard Year-End chart.[26] The album, which was certified platinum, produced a Top 5 hit in "Country Comes to Town" and another number 1 in "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This". It was also his first album to feature songs co-written byScotty Emerick, who would be a frequent collaborator of Keith's for the next several albums. Steve Huey wrote that this album "had a rough, brash attitude that helped give Keith a stronger identity as a performer."[5] In 2001, Keith won theAcademy of Country Music's Top Male Vocalist and Album of the Year awards.[5]
Following this album wasPull My Chain, released in August 2001. The album's three singles—"I'm Just Talkin' About Tonight", "I Wanna Talk About Me", and "My List"—all went to number 1 on the country charts, with the latter two both holding that position for five weeks.[16] "I Wanna Talk About Me", written byBobby Braddock, also displayed a country rap influence with its spoken-word lyrics.[23] TheCountry Music Association named "My List" as Single of the Year in 2002.[16] OfPull My Chain, Erlewine wrote that "this is a bigger, better record than its predecessor, possessing a richer musicality and a more confident sense of humor".[27]
In 2002, he released theUnleashed album which included four singles. First was "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)", which Keith wrote in 20 minutes as a response to theSeptember 11, 2001 attacks. The song references Keith's father, aUnited States Army veteran who died that March in a car accident.[28] Both this song and "Who's Your Daddy?" were number 1 hits, with "Rock You Baby" reaching number 13. The last single was "Beer for My Horses", a duet withWillie Nelson which spent six weeks at the top of the country charts. At the time, it was also Keith's highest entry on the Hot 100, at number 22.[16] In July 2003, Keith made a guest appearance on Scotty Emerick's debut single "I Can't Take You Anywhere", which was previously recorded by Keith onPull My Chain. Emerick's version of the song was his only top 40 country hit, at number 27.[16]
Shock'n Y'all, his eighth studio album, was released in November 2003. The album's title is a pun on the military term "shock and awe".[28] It became his second album from which all singles went to number 1: "I Love This Bar", "American Soldier", and "Whiskey Girl".[16] Also included on the disc were "The Taliban Song" and "Weed with Willie", two live songs recorded with Emerick.[29] The album was followed in late 2004 byGreatest Hits 2, which included three new songs: "Stays in Mexico", "Go with Her", and a cover ofInez and Charlie Foxx's "Mockingbird", recorded as a duet with his daughter,Krystal Keith. "Stays in Mexico" was a number 3 hit on the country charts, while "Mockingbird" peaked at number 27.[15]
Keith's final DreamWorks album wasHonkytonk University in early 2005. Lead-off single "Honkytonk U" peaked at number 8, followed by "As Good as I Once Was", which spent six weeks at number 1, and "Big Blue Note" at number 5.[16] After the release of the latter, DreamWorks Records ceased operations.[30]
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On August 31, 2005, Keith founded a new label,Show Dog Nashville. Its first release was his 2006 albumWhite Trash with Money, followed by the soundtrack toBroken Bridges. He also abandoned Stroud as co-producer in favor of Cannon's wife,Lari White. The album included three singles: "Get Drunk and Be Somebody", "A Little Too Late", and "Crash Here Tonight".Big Dog Daddy followed in 2007, with Keith serving as sole producer. Its singles were "High Maintenance Woman", "Love Me If You Can", and "Get My Drink On". "Love Me If You Can" became Keith's first number 1 hit since "As Good as I Once Was" more than two years prior.[16] A two-disc Christmas album,A Classic Christmas, followed later in 2007.[5] In 2008, Keith completed his Biggest and Baddest Tour. On May 6, 2008, he released35 Biggest Hits, a two-disc compilation featuring most of his singles to date,[31] as well as the new song "She's a Hottie", which peaked at number 13 on Billboard's country songs chart.[15]
Keith released "She Never Cried in Front of Me", which went to number 1 in 2008. Its corresponding album,That Don't Make Me a Bad Guy, followed on October 28, 2008. It was followed by "God Love Her", also a number 1 hit, and "Lost You Anyway".American Ride, in 2009, produced another number 1 in itstitle track. It was followed by the Top 10 hit "Cryin' for Me (Wayman's Song)", a tribute to basketball player and jazz bassistWayman Tisdale, a friend of Keith's who died in May 2009.[32]
Bullets in the Gun was released on October 5, 2010.[33] This was Keith's first album not to produce any top 10 singles,[citation needed] with "Trailerhood" reaching number 19, followed by thetitle track and "Somewhere Else" both at number 12.[15] Keith produced the album withsession guitarist Kenny Greenberg and recording engineer[citation needed]Mills Logan.[34]
On October 25, 2011,Clancy's Tavern was released. The album included the single "Made in America", written by Keith along withBobby Pinson andScott Reeves, which went to number 1. Following it was "Red Solo Cup", which had previously been made into a music video which became popular. Upon release as a single, "Red Solo Cup" became Keith's best-peaking crossover, reaching number 15 on the Hot 100. The album's final single was "Beers Ago" at number 6 in 2012. In December 2011, Keith was named "Artist of the Decade" by the American Country Awards.[35]
Keith's sixteenth album,Hope on the Rocks, was released in late 2012. It produced only two singles, both of which are top 20 hits: "I Like Girls That Drink Beer" reached at number 17 and thetitle track peaked at number 18.[15]
In mid-2013, he entered the charts with "Drinks After Work", the first single from his seventeenth album, also titledDrinks After Work.[36] The album's second single is "Shut Up and Hold On".[citation needed]
In October 2014, Keith released "Drunk Americans", the lead single from his eighteenth studio album,35 MPH Town. In April 2015, Keith released "35 MPH Town", the album's title track and second single. In 2015, Keith was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[37]
In September 2017, Keith released the compilation album,The Bus Songs. The album contains twelve songs: two new, five re-recorded, and five previously released songs. The new songs on the album are "Shitty Golfer" and "Wacky Tobaccy". In the U.S.The Bus Songs topped theBillboardComedy Albums chart for 11 weeks.[38] It also reached number 6 on the Top Country Albums chart[39] and 38 on theBillboard 200 chart.[40]
In 2021, Keith featured on theBrantley Gilbert single "The Worst Country Song of All Time" withHardy.[41]
On January 13, 2021, President Trump awarded Keith theNational Medal of Arts. The award was given in a closed ceremony, alongside fellow country musicianRicky Skaggs.[42][43]
On September 28, 2023, after receiving the first Country Icon Award at the People's Choice Country Awards, Keith performed publicly for the first time since his June 2022 cancer diagnosis announcement. His performance of "Don't Let the Old Man In", which was previously used inClint Eastwood's 2018 filmThe Mule, received a standing ovation.[44][45]
Keith's final performance was held inLas Vegas, Nevada, at thePark MGM, on December 14, 2023.[46] His last studio recording was included onHixtape: Vol. 3: Difftape, atribute album toJoe Diffie, to which Keith joinedLuke Combs on a rendition of Diffie's single "Ships That Don't Come In".[47]
In March 2024, one month after his death, it was announced that Keith would be posthumously inducted into theCountry Music Hall of Fame, having been elected just hours after his death.[4]
Keith performed on a series of television advertisements for Telecom USA for that company's discount long-distance telephone service 10-10-220. He also starred inFord commercials, singing original songs such as "Ford Truck Man" and "Look Again" while driving Ford trucks.[citation needed]
Keith made an appearance at the firstTotal Nonstop Action Wrestling (then NWA-TNA) weekly pay-per-view on June 19, 2002, where his playing of "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" was interrupted byJeff Jarrett. He would later enter theGauntlet for the Gold main event and eliminate Jarrett from the match. He appeared the next week, on June 26, and helpedScott Hall defeat Jarrett in singles action.[48]
In 2009, Keith participated in theComedy Central Roast ofLarry the Cable Guy, which aired on March 14, 2009.[49]
Keith received the "Colbert Bump" when he appeared onComedy Central'sThe Colbert Report. He holds the distinction of being the only musical artist to have received a five star rating fromStephen Colbert oniTunes. Keith furthered this connection when he appeared inColbert's 2008 Christmas special as a hunter. Keith also made an appearance as a musical guest on the October 27, 2011, episode ofThe Colbert Report.[citation needed]
On October 29, 2011, Keith appeared onFox Channel'sHuckabee with former Arkansas GovernorMike Huckabee. He played "Bullets in the Gun" and he joined withHuckabee's house band to play a song at the end of the show.[citation needed]
In December 2018, Keith appeared as a guest onDarci Lynne: My Hometown Christmas.[50]
In the Autumn of 2005, he filmedBroken Bridges, written byCherie Bennett andJeff Gottesfeld, and directed bySteven Goldmann. This feature film fromParamount/CMT Films was released on September 8, 2006. In this contemporary story set in small-townTennessee, Keith plays Bo Price, a washed-up country musician. The movie also starsKelly Preston,Burt Reynolds,Tess Harper, andLindsey Haun.[citation needed]
Keith wrote and starred in the 2008 movieBeer for My Horses, which is based on the 2003 hit single "Beer for My Horses" recorded by Keith andWillie Nelson.[51]
In 2005, Keith openedToby Keith's I Love This Bar & Grill inOklahoma City, Oklahoma, as well asSyracuse, New York, andTulsa, Oklahoma.
Later, new restaurants were opened as a franchise underScottsdale, Arizona-based Capri Restaurant Group Enterprises LLC, which purchased the master license agreement to build more Toby Keith restaurants nationwide. Capri Restaurant Group was owned by Frank Capri, who opened the first new location in Mesa, Arizona at theMesa Riverview shopping center.[52]
The chain expanded to many locations across the country, including inPittsburgh, Pennsylvania;[53] Auburn Hills, Michigan; St. Louis Park, Minnesota;[54]Thackerville, Oklahoma;Auburn Hills, Michigan;Kansas City;Las Vegas;Mesa, Arizona;Peoria, Arizona;St. Louis Park, Minnesota;Foxborough, Massachusetts;Cincinnati, Ohio;Newport News, Virginia; andDenver, Colorado.[citation needed]
The franchise collapsed through the 2010s. By 2020, lawsuits across the country had resulted in Capri and his companies being ordered to pay tens of millions of dollars in civil judgements. Capri was revealed to be an ex-mobster who used the Toby Keith-branded restaurants, along with Rascal Flatts-branded restaurants, to defraud developers.[55]
In 2009, Keith also established a line of clothing, TK Steelman.[56]
Keith's music career and his various other business ventures made him one of the wealthiest celebrities in the United States. The July 15, 2013, edition ofForbes magazine features Keith on the cover with the caption "Country Music's $500 million man".[57] The article titled "Cowboy Capitalist" byZack O'Malley Greenburg also contains information regarding Keith's earnings as a musician over the course of his career, such as earning $65 million in the past 12 months, which surpasses the earnings of even more well known musicians such asJay-Z andBeyoncé and that he has not earned less than $48 million a year over the past five years. Keith wrote at least one No. 1 country single per year over the past 20 years and the partnership between his own label,Show Dog-Universal, andBig Machine Records, which Keith also helped found in 2005.[58]
Keith had made numerous trips to the Middle East, starting in 2002, to perform for those serving in the U.S. military. "My father was a soldier. He taught his kids to respect veterans", said Keith. "It's that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that's in place and ready to defend our nation; our freedom."[59]
In 2004, Keith called himself "a conservative Democrat who is sometimes embarrassed for his party".[60] He endorsed the re-election of PresidentGeorge W. Bush inthe 2004 presidential election and performed at aDallas, Texas, rally on the night before the election. Keith also endorsed DemocratDan Boren in his successful run in Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district and was good friends with former DemocraticNew Mexico GovernorBill Richardson.
In a January 2007 interview withNewsday, Keith was asked whether he supported theIraq War. He responded with "Never did", and said he favors setting a time limit on the campaign. He also said, "I don't apologize for being patriotic... If there is something socially incorrect about being patriotic and supporting your troops, then they can kiss my ass on that, because I'm not going to budge on that at all. And that has nothing to do with politics. Politics is what's killing America."[61]
In April 2008, Keith said thatBarack Obama "looks like a great speaker and a great leader. And I think you can learn on your feet in there, so I don't hold people responsible for not having a whole bunch of political background in the House and Senate."[62] His remarks continued, "I think [John] McCain is a great option too." In August 2008, he called Obama "the best Democratic candidate we've had since Bill Clinton".[63]
In October 2008, Keith toldCMT that he had left theDemocratic Party and he re-registered as an independent. "My party that I've been affiliated with all these years doesn't stand for anything that I stand for anymore", he said. "They've lost any sensibility that they had, and they've allowed all the kooks in. So I'm going independent." He also told CMT that he would likely vote for theRepublican ticket, partially because of his admiration forSarah Palin.[64]
In March 2009, Keith received theJohnny "Mike" Spann Memorial Semper Fidelis Award during a New York ceremony held by the Marine Corps-Law Enforcement Foundation. The trophy is named for the CIA operative (and former Marine Corps captain) who was the first U.S. casualty in thewar in Afghanistan. "Spending time with our soldiers around the world is something I've always regarded as a privilege and honor", he said. "I'm certainly happy to accept this award, but I won't forget for a second who's really doing the heavy lifting to keep this country safe. And that's why I'll keep going back and spending time with those good folks every chance I get."[61]
In April 2009, he voiced support for Obama onAfghanistan and other decisions: "He hired one of my best friends who I think should run for president someday...Gen. James Jones as a national security adviser. He's sending troops into Afghanistan, help is on the way there. And I'm seeing some really good middle range stuff. I'm giving our commander in chief a chance before I start grabbing. So far, I'm cool with it."[65]
On March 24, 2001, Keith's father, H.K. Covel, was killed in a car accident. That event and theSeptember 11 attacks in 2001 prompted Keith to write the song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue", a song about his father's patriotism and faith in the United States, originally intended only for live shows. According to Keith, following a performance for military leadership,Commandant of the Marine CorpsJames L. Jones told Keith it was his "duty as an American citizen" to record the song.[66] As the lead single from the albumUnleashed (2002), "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" peaked at number one on the July 20, 2002, BillboardHot Country Songs chart.[15]
ABC invited Keith to perform on a 2002 Fourth of July concert it was producing. According to Keith, he was dropped from the show after hostPeter Jennings heard the song "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" and rejected it. Keith was further quoted as saying "Isn't he Canadian?", and "I betDan Rather wouldn't kick me off his show." Dan Rather, in response, stated "And I'm not gonna be a hypocrite, you wouldn't want me to. I like Peter, he's a good guy." ABC, however, stated that it was the network that did not want to begin the show with an angry song. Jennings later stated that, while the situation was regrettable, opening the show with the song "probably wouldn't set the right tone."[67][66]
Keith had a public feud withThe Chicks—then The Dixie Chicks—over the song "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" in 2002 and overcomments they made about President George W. Bush on stage during a concert in London in March 2003. The lead singer of the Chicks,Natalie Maines, publicly stated that Keith's song was "ignorant, and it makes country music sound ignorant".[68] Keith responded by displaying a backdrop at his concerts showing a doctored photo of Maines with Iraqi dictatorSaddam Hussein. On May 21, 2003, Maines wore a T-shirt with the letters "FUTK" on the front at theAcademy of Country Music Awards.[69] While a spokesperson for the Chicks said that the abbreviation stood for "FriendsUnited inTruth andKindness", many, including hostVince Gill, took it to be a shot at Keith ("Fuck YouTobyKeith"). In an October 2004 appearance onReal Time with Bill Maher, Maines finally confessed that it was indeed a shot at Keith, and that she "thought that nobody would get it."[70]
In August 2003, Keith's representation publicly declared he was done feuding with Maines "because he's realized there are far more important things to concentrate on." Keith was referring specifically to the terminal illness of a former bandmate's daughter, Allison Faith Webb.[71] However, he continued to refuse to say Maines's name, and claimed that the doctored photo was intended to express his opinion that Maines's criticism was an attempt to squelch Keith'sfree speech.[61]
In April 2008, a commercial spot to promoteAl Gore's "We Campaign", involving both Keith and the Chicks, was proposed. However, the idea was eventually abandoned due to scheduling conflicts.[72]
On January 19, 2017, Toby Keith performed at the pre-Inaugural "Make America Great Again! Welcome Celebration" held at theLincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., in celebration of the beginning of the presidency ofDonald Trump. Keith thanked outgoing presidentBarack Obama for his service and thanked president-elect Trump at the start of the celebration. Keith then played several of his patriotic songs, including "American Soldier", "Made in America", "Beer For My Horses", and "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue".[73]
At the performance, he dedicated "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" to his father who, as he sings early in the song, lost an eye while serving in the U.S. Army. "Responding to the criticism around the performance, Keith said in a statement that 'I don't apologize for performing for our country or military. I performed at events for previous presidents Bush and Obama and over 200 shows in Iraq and Afghanistan for the U.S.O.' Speaking toThe Atlantic, he said, more pointedly, that if 'the president of the frickin' United States asks you to do something and you can go, you should go.'"[74]
Keith married Tricia Lucus on March 24, 1984. He was the father of three children, includingKrystal Keith.[75][76]
Keith's father, H. K. Covel, was killed after a charter bus collided with his car onInterstate 35 on March 24, 2001. The Covel family was awarded $2.8 million for his wrongful death on December 25, 2007. Elias and Pedro Rodriguez, operators of Rodriguez Transportes of Tulsa, and the Republic Western Insurance Co. were found liable, as they failed to equip the bus with properly working air brakes.[77]
Keith planned to be a petroleum engineer.[78]
He was an avidUniversity of Oklahoma sports fan, and Keith was often seen atOklahoma Sooners games and practices. He was also a fan ofprofessional wrestling, being seen in the front row of numerous WWE shows that took place in Oklahoma, as well as performing "Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue" live at the first everTNA Wrestling show on June 19, 2002. He was also a fan of thePittsburgh Steelers football team.[79] He was aFree Will Baptist.[80]
In 2004, Keith helped found Ally's House, a cancer charity named after Allison Webb, the deceased daughter of one of Keith's former bandmates. Webb died a month before her third birthday toWilms' tumor.[81]
This is a special charity to me. I saw firsthand how a child's cancer diagnosis can devastate a family. Please join me in supporting these kids through Ally's House. We're gonna make it better for the kids.[82]
In 2006, he established the Toby Keith Foundation to build housing for pediatric cancer patients and their families. In late 2013, the foundation built the OK Kids Korral, a place for child OU Medical Center cancer patients to live in. Over two decades since its creation, the annual Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic has raised more than $15 million for the OK Kids Korral. He described it toThe Oklahoman in 2019 as his greatest accomplishment.[81]
Keith filmed a PSA for Little Kids Rock, a national nonprofit that works to restore and revitalize music education in disadvantaged U.S. public schools.[83]
In June 2022, Keith announced that he had been diagnosed withstomach cancer at the end of 2021, having undergone chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery for the past six months.[84] Keith said that his battle with cancer had been "pretty debilitating" in a December 2022 press release.[85] Keith died in his sleep inOklahoma, on February 5, 2024, at the age of 62.[3][86]
Upon news of Keith's death, Oklahoma governorKevin Stitt ordered U.S. and Oklahoma flags on state property to be flown at half-staff all day February 6 until sunset the following day, "as a show of respect and mourning for the loss of American music legend Toby Keith."[87]
On February 10, 2024, theUniversity of Oklahoma men's basketball team hosted rivalOklahoma State. The song "Red Solo Cup", recorded by Keith, inspired the university to honor him by handing out redSolo cups with any purchase of a drink. Videos of fans singing "Red Solo Cup" while holding their drinks aloft circulated on social media after the game.[88]
Fellow country artists and bands who paid tribute includedDolly Parton,Carrie Underwood,Jason Aldean,Old Dominion,Jelly Roll,Zach Bryan,John Rich,Chely Wright,Lady A,Jake Owen,Luke Combs,Morgan Wallen,Cole Swindell, and others such asFirst LadyJill Biden, actorStephen Baldwin, comedianStephen Colbert,[89] and radio and television personalityBobby Bones.[90][91][92]
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