Toby Keith

Biography

Toby Keith Covel (July 8, 1961 – February 5, 2024) was an American country music singer, songwriter, record producer, actor, and businessman. He began using the stage name Toby Keith early in his music career.

Keith's debut single, "Should've Been a Cowboy", topped the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart in 1993. "How Do You Like Me Now?!" was the number one country song of 2000. In all, Keith has had 42 top 10 country hits and 33 No. 1s. He has released 19 studio albums, two Christmas albums, and five compilation albums, totaling worldwide sales of over 44 million albums. He was nominated for seven Grammy Awards, and was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Donald Trump in a closed ceremony alongside Ricky Skaggs on January 13, 2021.

In 2005, Keith founded the label Show Dog Nashville, which later became Show Dog-Universal Music. Keith also made his acting debut in 2006, starring in the film Broken Bridges. He co-starred with comedian Rodney Carrington in the 2008 film Beer for My Horses, inspired by his namesake 2003 duet with Willie Nelson.

Keith died on February 5, 2024, from stomach cancer. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, having been elected just hours after his death.

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