Country music star Toby Keith has passed away at the age of 62.
The singer, best known for songs such as "Red Solo Cup," "Beer For My Horses" and “Should Have Been a Cowboy,” died Monday (February 5) after a long battle with stomach cancer. He was diagnosed back in 2022.
On socials, his family issued a brief statement that reads, "Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5 surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time."
A staunch supporter of the military, Keith was known for his pro-American stance when it came to songwriting. He performed hundreds of shows for U.S. service members, travelling to Afghanistan and Iraq for some. He described himself as a "third-generation Democrat" and performed for three presidents: George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump,
Throughout his career Keith had 20 number one Billboard hits on the country chart, including hits with post-9/11 songs such as “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" and "Made In America," which made him a polarizing figure in country music.
Last September he gave a health update to E! News, admitting he felt “pretty good” at the moment but the experience had been “a little bit of a roller coaster." He added, “You get good days and you’re up and down, up and down. It's always zero to 60 and 60 to zero but I feel good today.”
Keith leaves behind his wife, Tricia, and three children, Shelley, Krystal and Stelen.