Introduction
On February 5, 2024, country music lost an icon when Toby Keith passed away at age 62 after a valiant two-and-a-half-year fight with stomach cancer. In the months before his passing, Keith granted his final interview to PEOPLE at the People’s Choice Country Awards, where he accepted the inaugural Country Music Icon Award and performed “Don’t Let the Old Man In”.
Held in September 2023 at the People’s Choice Country Awards, the interview unfolded just weeks after his cancer diagnosis became public. Surrounded by peers like Blake Shelton—who presented his award—Keith watched a video montage of his hits and marvelled at “how enormous” a thirty-year career could feel in a single moment.
With characteristic candor, Keith confessed, “You know where you were when you wrote all those songs—you look up one day and all of a sudden thirty years went by”. He spoke about leaning on faith, family, and especially his wife Tricia, whom he praised as “the best nurse” throughout his treatment journey.
Keith’s passing prompted an outpouring of tributes from fellow artists—Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, and Jason Aldean among them—each celebrating his patriotism, songwriting prowess, and generous spirit. In Oklahoma, flags flew at half-staff on February 6 as a final salute to his impact on both country music and American culture.
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His final televised performance of “Don’t Let the Old Man In” marked his return to the stage after chemotherapy and radiation.
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Keith’s daughter Krystal reveals that playing his music helps her “hold onto the gratitude” he modelled.
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Despite his illness, he enjoyed “rehab shows” in Las Vegas, describing them as a way to “get rolling again” after treatment