Toby Keith

Toby Keith (born July 8, 1961, Clinton, Oklahoma, U.S.—died  February 5, 2024, Oklahoma) was an American country singer and songwriter whose songs are known for their patriotic themes and blend of traditional country sounds with modern influences. Keith was influential as a country music artist in the late 1990s and 2000s, having released numerous hit songs and multiple platinum-certified albums. He was known in particular for his distinctive voice and bold personality.

Early life and career

Keith, born Toby Keith Covel, was the second of three children of Carolyn Joan and Hubert K. Covel, Jr. He spent part of his early youth in Arkansas before his family moved to Moore, Oklahoma, where his father was an oil worker. After high school, Keith spent his days working with his father and his nights performing at bars with the Easy Money Band. At one such show in 1980, he met then-secretary Tricia Lucus. The pair began dating, and, when they married in 1984, Keith adopted Lucus’ daughter Shelley. Together they had two children, Krystal and Stelen.

Albums and hit songs

In 1993 Keith released his self-titled debut album with Mercury Records. Its first track, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Other top 10 country hits from the album include “He Ain’t Worth Missing,” “A Little Less Talk and a Lot More Action,” and “Wish I Didn’t Know Now.” The album was certified platinum after selling one million copies. Its success established Keith as a promising new voice in country music.

Keith’s next two albums, Boomtown (1994) and Blue Moon (1996), were also certified platinum. In 1999, after several disappointing releases, Keith made a comeback with How Do You Like Me Now?!. The album’s title track was number one on the country music charts for five weeks. “I Wanna Talk About Me” and “My List,” off Keith’s next album Pull My Chain (2001), likewise spent five weeks at the top of the country charts. With Unleashed (2002), Keith launched into massive stardom. The album had multiple top singles, including “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American),” a fervent musical response to the September 11 attacks. Keith and Willie Nelson performed as a duet on the track “Beer for My Horses,” which remained in the top slot on the country music charts for six weeks.

From 2001 to 2013, Keith released at least one album or compilation per year. Unleashed, Shock’n Y’all (2003), Big Dog Daddy (2007), and Bullets in the Gun (2010) all reached number one on Billboard’s Top Album Sales chart.

Legacy

The success of “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)” courted controversy. Critics of the Iraq War labeled Keith and his music as militant and layered with aggressive nationalism. Natalie Maines, lead singer of the Dixie Chicks (later known as the Chicks), described the song as “ignorant.” A feud between the two ensued. Nonetheless, Keith was undeterred by the criticism and subsequently released more songs expressing American pride and exceptionalism. The anthems made Keith a sought-after performer at U.S. government and military events. In 2014 he was honored by the United Service Organizations (USO) for his dedication to entertaining and supporting American forces.

Keith died in February 2024 after a two-year struggle with stomach cancer. Shortly after his death, Keith became the first person to claim nine of the top 10 hits on the Country Digital Song Sales chart. Later that year, at the American Country Music Awards, singer Jason Aldean performed “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” in tribute.

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Keith was nominated for seven Grammy Awards in his lifetime, including two for “Beer for My Horses.” He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015 and posthumously inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024.