Remembering an Icon: Toby Keith's Life, Love and Lyrics

On Monday, February 5, 2024, the country music songs went silent for a moment.  The industry lost an icon when 62-year-old Toby Keith Covel died after a two year long fight with stomach cancer.  

The breaking news was released on social media and quickly spread through the country music community and major news outlets.  Those who knew the circumstances knew of the possibility but never considered the reality.

Blake Shelton posted on Twitter to remember his friend.

Keith always stood out from the crowd whether it was in songwriting, politics or love.  His songwriting and performing began early on and he signed his first record deal in 1993, but it was 2002 when the singer became a phenomenon in the entire music world with his response to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack.  

"Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue" stirred emotions across the United States when Americans were feeling vulnerable and angry.  In an interview with TIME magazine, Keith revealed that the song flowed out of him in a 20-minute writing spree and that he didn't write it with the intention of releasing the song.

Keith stood by his song and his decisions saying in subsequent years that he had no regrets and that the song had to be the way it was in order to boost national morale.

Taking a stand wasn't just in his music.  Where many marriages fail with stardom and tour schedules, Keith had one of the longest standing relationship in country music.  

Tricia Lucus and Keith were married on March 24, 1984, after dating for three years.  When they were courting and subsequently married, Keith was working in the oil fields with a country music career as a dream.  He and his band played local bars when they could, and it was at one of these part-time gigs that his life was changed by meeting his future wife.

Three children later, nearly 40 years of marriage, and undeniable support, the couple withstood the test of time and challenges. When they were first married one person had full faith in his country music career -- Tricia. 

In an interview with US Weekly, Keith recalled, "Dozens of people told Tricia, 'You need to tell your old man to get a real job.' It took a strong-hearted and loving woman to say, 'He's good enough at music that I've got to let him try. And it'll be a great shot for both of us if he can make it work."

Nothing exemplifies their shared love than Tricia's support while Keith fought his battle with cancer. She was by his side the entire time until the end.