Toby Keith, the country music singer-songwriter known for songs including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Red Solo Cup,” died on Monday. He was 62.
A statement on his website said he “passed peacefully” in the night “surrounded by his family.” “He fought his fight with grace and courage,” it added. “Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Keith announced in 2022 that he’d been diagnosed with stomach cancer and was receiving treatment.
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The onetime rodeo hand and semiprofessional football player topped the country music charts with his debut single, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” in 1993. He would go on to top that genre’s Billboard chart on another 19 occasions, selling more than 40 million records over the course of his career.
Despite his illness, Keith was performing as recently as December, playing three soldout shows in Las Vegas.
In a recent interview with KWTV, he said his faith had been invaluable over the course of his “rollercoaster” journey with cancer treatment. He explained that even as he was going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments, he was able to find peace.
“I just got to a point where I was comfortable with whatever happened,” Keith said. “I had my brain wrapped around it and I was in a good spot either way.”
