(NationalUSNews.com) — Toby Keith, an iconic country singer with a cult following throughout the United States, recently died due to complications from stomach cancer. Keith died at 62 and is survived by his wife and three children. The country singer regularly sold out arenas and stadiums and sold tens of millions of records throughout his 30-year country music career. Keith shocked the world when he announced his cancer diagnosis but sought treatment and avoided discussing developments regarding his declining health.
Keith first rose to fame during the 1990s with the hit song “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” which made him a household name amongst country music fans. Keith released other hit songs like “Blue Moon” and “Unleashed” during his lengthy music stardom, selling millions of records and appearing on various billboard charts. Despite having a successful career after his debut single, Keith wasn’t always a musician. The Oklahoma native worked several jobs before attempting to record country music.
Keith worked in several oil fields before reaching stardom, and he even played football as a semi-professional before recording his hit debut song. Keith regularly sang music with patriotic themes and famously released a song after the September 11th terrorist attacks, which received criticism from audiences who felt the song featured sexist lyrics. Despite the controversy, Keith continued to find success throughout the remainder of his music career.
After finding relative success in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Keith began performing at events for various United States presidents. Keith played at events for former Presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Trump celebrated the country star’s career during his presidency, awarding Keith a National Medal of the Arts shortly before leaving office in 2021.
Despite receiving treatment in the form of chemotherapy, radiation, and various surgical procedures, Keith failed to beat his stomach cancer. The country star once described the disease as debilitating while discussing his fight with cancer, but clarified that he’d be okay with the ultimate result of his battle with cancer. Keith’s family announced his death on February 5th, claiming the country star died peacefully in his sleep while his family surrounded him.
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