Blake Shelton ‘Never Imagined’ Toby Keith’s Death — Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, & More Mourn Icon’s Loss

Toby Keith's passing has left many in the music industry devastated. Some country icons paid tribute to the late singer on social media, posting photos and kind words.

The music community has been mourning the loss of country star Toby Keith. Many have flocked to social media to pay tribute to the late singer and share kind words.

Among them is Blake Shelton, who Tweeted about Keith's passing, revealing that he knew about the battles his friend faced. "I still never imagined this day," he wrote.

"You were the toughest man I ever met. Thank you brother for being a friend, a hero, and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith," he added.

Other artists also posted on social media, including Alan Jackson, who shared a picture with the "Should've Been a Cowboy" singer on Instagram. He revealed that he was "saddened" by the news and will be keeping the departed's family in his prayers.

Fellow country star Carrie Underwood also took to Instagram to share photos with Keith, calling him a "true blue COWBOY" who is now in heaven.

Tim McGraw also paid homage to Keith, posting throwback photos of their respective debut albums, which came out on the same day in 1993. McGraw also revealed that he had a close bond with Keith at the onset of their careers.

"We had a lot of good times and conversations about what we wanted out of our careers and our lives. He was a maverick. He did things his way, on his terms, a true artist," he wrote.

World-renowned artist Dolly Parton also had a few words to share about Keith's passing, writing about how difficult it is to lose a friend and colleague in the industry.

Keith battled stomach cancer for a few years following his 2021 diagnosis. Last year, he gave the public an update, revealing that his tumor had shrunk already. Admittedly, he experienced good days and bad days.

Prior to his illness, Keith had already shown support toward the cancer community. Since 2006, he has been helping kids through the Toby Keith Foundation, providing no-cost housing for kids with the illness.

On February 5, 2024, Toby Keith peacefully passed away, surrounded by family. He was 62 with an illustrious career and a loving family, including three kids he raised. Many of his fans and followers sent outpouring thoughts and prayers to Keith and his family.

As previously reported on February 6:

Mere hours ago, the public was made aware of the sad news that country star Toby Keith died. The beloved musician passed yesterday (February 5) at 62 years old.

Toby's fans have been left heartbroken by the news and took to social media to pay respects to the late artist. A statement stipulating the details concerning Toby's demise was posted to his official Instagram account.

In the message, it was mentioned that Toby, who was battling stomach cancer, died "peacefully" and was "surrounded by his family." The Instagram post also stated that "he fought his fight with grace and courage."

Upon seeing the post, one fan expressed, "We love you, Toby. I'm so devastated. Your music will l[i]ve on forever, legend ❤️." Similarly, another wrote, "My heart is broken...Thank you for sharing yourself with the world 😢❤️."

Another fan addressed the singer's family: his wife, Tricia Lucus, daughters, Krystal Keith and Shelley Covel Rowland, and his son, Stelen Keith Covel. They said, "Rest in peace, Toby. Sending prayers to his family. This is such sad news, but you were a blessing and fought it out until the end like the legend you are." Someone else commented, "God bless his family through this hard time 😢."

Before the "Don't Let The Old Man In" singer died, he briefly spoke to a media outlet about his cancer. He discussed how he felt good that day he was giving the interview but also disclosed, "It's a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days, and you know, you're up and down [...] It's always zero to 60 and 60 to zero."

Days before his passing, Toby shared two last videos on his social media page. In one, he reflected on the first song he wrote when he was 14/15 years old. The other video showed Toby entertaining a vast crowd as he performed for them onstage.

With his death, Toby Keith leaves his incredible legacy in the hands of his grieving family, who have asked the public to respect their privacy during this significantly painful time.

As previously reported on June 8, 2023:

Country star Toby Keith worried his fans when he announced that he was taking a break from music to deal with his stomach cancer diagnosis in June 2022.

The singer said he was undergoing chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery and needed time to rest. Keith explained that he would use this time to get back on his feet and spend time with his family.

In December 2022, Keith made his first public appearance since announcing his diagnosis. The country star was positive that he would be back on stage soon.

However, he admitted that his body was strained."It is pretty debilitating to have to go through all that, but as long as everything stays hunky-dory, then we will look at something good in the future," he said.

The "Red Solo Cup" singer shared a picture promoting children's health on his Instagram, but this concerned fans due to his appearance.

The singer had evidently lost weight, and many were worried about his cancer battle. Some found the weight loss concerning, while others thought Keith looked good. One person said, "You have lost so much weight. Prayers for you dear Toby."

Another expressed, "Please tell me Toby is ok? This picture is most disturbing." Someone else stated, "So thin. I hope you are getting better." Another social media user commented, "Wow he's lost a lot of weight. But still looks great. Keep fighting my friend." Most commenters saw the drastic change in Keith's appearance as worrying and reckoned that the stomach cancer was taking a toll on his body.

Some could not even bear the singer's sight and wanted reassurance that he was fine. Nonetheless, his supporters are keeping him in their prayers and encouraging him to keep fighting. "Omg, I just saw this. He looks nothing like he once did. Ripping my heart out. I pray he pulls through this," wrote a worried user.

To see Keith still smiling and doing his charitable work gave many fans hope that he would defeat cancer, even though it was so scary to see him in his new body that fans thought it was "disturbing."