Country music star Toby Keith, the Oklahoma native known for his patriotic songs and his Dallas Cowboys ties, has died, his website announced early Tuesday. He was 62.
The site said he "passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time."
Keith, who revealed in June 2022 that he'd been undergoing treatment for stomach cancer, exploded onto the music scene in the 1990s - about the same time his favorite football team, the Cowboys, were winning their three Super Bowls.
Among his biggest hits are "How Do You Like Me Now?!," “Beer for My Horses," "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue,” “Red Solo Cup” and his trademark “I Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
The 6-4 Keith, who worked as a roughneck in the oil fields of Oklahoma as a young man and played semi-pro football before launching his career as a singer, recorded a wildly popular “Should’ve Been” video for a Cowboys appearance on “Monday Night Football,” and was among the team’s all-time most popular halftime performers.
He became close friends with Cowboys players like fellow native Oklahoman Troy Aikman, and team owner Jerry Jones has cited his “Don’t Let The Old Man In” as a personal inspiration.
Our thoughts are with Keith’s family and friends at this time.
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