According to a post on the artist’s official Instagram, Toby Keith passed away on Monday surrounded by his family.
“He fought with dignity and courage,” the post reads.
Toby Keith debuted in 1993 with a self-titled album that contained the breakthrough song “Should’ve been a cowboy”. Since then, he has had great success with hit songs such as “American soldier”, “As good as I once was”, “Red solo cup” and “Beer for my horses”, a collaboration with country legend Willie Nelson.
After the terrorist attack on September 11, 2001, he released the patriotic and controversial song “Courtesy of the red, white and blue flag (The angry american)”. In an interview with DN in 2009, he said this about being described as a “violent flag waver”:
“That image of me is unfair. I’ve written a song about the American military, which the press keeps coming back to, and forty-one other hit songs on sixteen albums. I take a stand on things based on what is right or wrong for me, not whether it is “right” or “left”. I ask myself: “Is this something that is good for my family?” It is a health care reform, but also a functioning defense.”
Over the years, Toby Keith has had a total of 20 number one spots on the Billboard country charts and his 21 albums have sold over 40 million copies worldwide. His last album, “Peso in my pocket”, was released in 2021. The following year Toby Keith told me that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and that he had started treatment for the disease.
Toby Keith turned 62 years old.
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