Photo: Alamy
Country music legend Toby Keith has gone to sing his campfire songs with God.
A notice went out on his social media, stating that he passed away peacefully in his sleep Monday night, “surrounded by his family.” It added that “He fought his fight with grace and courage.”
His family is asking for privacy in this time of mourning, and now the nation is bidding farewell to country music’s American soldier.
According to People Magazine, Keith died of stomach cancer and didn’t shy away from talking about that battle.
He was never one to shy away from tough subjects.
He told E! News last fall, “You’re up and down, up and gown. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero but I feel good today.”
His political journey was as uplifting and diverse as his physical and musical ones. His songs held a new country style with some rocking guitar solos and bluesy piano tones that defined a modern era.
While he was making a name for himself, lamenting the loss of the past and its cowboys, he was also learning to carry that traditional conservative American spirit into the future.
Like quite a few conservatives today, Keith originally identified as a Democrat. According to Distractify, he called himself a “conservative Democrat” in 2004. But he grew “embarrassed” with his party and became an independent political supporter by 2008.
Then, in 2017, he was invited to sing at President Donald Trump’s inauguration. Although many celebrities in the music industry decried President Trump, Keith wanted to unite the people. He believed in supporting the nation, and especially those who defend it, so he agreed.
By January 2021, Keith was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Trump. The Oklahoman reported that he welcomed the honor and had repeatedly defended his position on accepting invitations to the White House.
Keith was never one to be put in a box. He didn’t play by the traditional rules of country music, and he didn’t allow political divides to define him. He believed he was an American first.
That message is at the heart of his most popular patriotic songs. After 9/11, Americans were hurting and angry. He channeled those emotions into his music when he sang, “Justice will be served and the battle will rage. This big dog will fight when you rattle his cage.”
He continued his support of America as a sovereign nation, indivisible. He wrote lyrics that pledged duty and sacrifice. He sang, “I’m an American Soldier, an American.”
Now that he’s on his way, his songs continue to tell his story. As he sang in 2019, his songs were made to help us “Look out your window and smile.”
