Toby Keith is a country icon. The “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer has been a mainstream country radio staple for almost 30 years. He has recorded some of the biggest, most memorable albums of the last three decades. More importantly, Keith appears to be winning his battle against stomach cancer.
The 62-year-old star revealed his battle with stomach cancer in June 2022 after secretly struggling with the illness for six months. After months of radiation, chemo, and surgery, Keith is feeling good enough to do two shows to gauge where he is physically in terms of stamina and energy level.
Keith posted a message on YouTube laying out his plans. He said: “Hey everybody! This is Toby Keith. It’s been a while. You know what I’ve been doing… been on the old rollercoaster, but Almighty’s riding shotgun. He’s letting me drive for some reason.”
The “As Good as I Once Was” singer is looking to see if he can be as good as he ever was, and he has chosen Las Vegas for a trial run. He continued: “We’re making a big announcement. I’m doing a little deal and thought I’d start in the great Las Vegas. I was going to sit around here and do nothing like I have been, or get up and go outside and don’t let the old man in.
Keith was referring to his single, “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” which was featured in the Clint Eastwood movie “The Mule.” Keith will be doing two Vegas shows at the Dolby Live Theater at Park MGM on December 10 and 11.
The “Beer for My Horses” singer also said: “It’ll be my first two shows. They’re kind of rehab shows … get the band back in sync, get me rolling again. First time in my whole life I’ve been off over two years. I’ve never been off a year in my life.”
Keith also has dealt with COVID-19 in the last year on top of cancer but has revealed he leans into his faith to help him get through the tough times. He continued: “I lean on my faith and I just pray and lean into it. You gotta’ do what you gotta’ do, and I don’t know how people do it without faith … that’s what I did, it was my rock.”
The country legend also received a huge honor recently when he was awarded the first-ever Country Icon Award at the inaugural People’s Choice Country Awards in September. He talked about the honor: “30 years of all the songs I wrote, and they’re flashing by ya pretty quick. 30 went by pretty quick … I’m glad they’re recognizing our accomplishment.”
Keith’s close friend Blake Shelton presented the award at The Grand Ole Opry in Nashville. He continued: “He’s who I would’ve chosen. He’s an old friend of mine, I was his first tour when he came out. We remain friends, we’re a lot of like . . . kindred spirits kind of thing.”
Stomach cancer is usually a grim diagnosis, but for Toby Keith, so far, so good. Hopefully, his recovery will continue, and music fans can enjoy more new offerings from the country legend.
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