Toby Keith, a country music singer, is talking about his health for the first time. The fan-favorite was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021. Since then, he has been getting treatment.
Keith released a statement regarding his condition on his social media accounts. He said: “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation, and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax.”
Even though he’s been going through a lot with his health, Keith says that he will never forget his fans and supporters. He said, “I am looking forward to spending time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait. -T.”
Because of this announcement, it was not immediately clear what was going to happen to Keith’s scheduled performances for the upcoming months. At the time, his website announced that his next concert was going to take place on June 17 in Wheaton, Illinois.
Following Keith’s revelation, the Ohio State Fair also confirmed that his show that was scheduled on July 28 in Columbus, Ohio has been postponed. Keith’s publicist, Elaine Schock, said that some tour dates might also be canceled, “but I’m not sure how many at this point.”
His website also announced the release of the singer’s latest album, “Peso in my Pocket” which happened last year after a long break from touring due to the Covid pandemic restrictions.
When he had an interview with PEOPLE at that time regarding his album, Keith shared that the song ideas for the album just came to him while doing his favorite activity – running.
He said, “I’d look at the song ideas I had on my phone before I started running, and then I would take off. The next thing I know, my time would be up, and I’d have been constantly working, grinding gears in my head about the songs. I’d get back and put on my recorder on my phone and I would lay down what I got.
” He added, “It was a great time for me to write. ”
Toby Keith is one of the pillars of the music industry. In 2021, he was awarded the “National Medal of Arts” which the National Endowment for the Arts describes as “the highest award given to artists and arts patrons by the United States government. ” In a statement released in January 2021, the National Endowment for the Arts stated that “Toby Keith is a singer, songwriter, musician, and humanitarian who has completed 11 USO Tours to date.
He has 32 #1 single. ”
As a veteran entertainer, Keith has performed for American troops stationed in Afghanistan and Iraq. He’s also performed for former presidents George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump.
Keith has been an advocate for cancer patients for a long time, and he continues to be. A decade ago, he started the Toby Keith Foundation to help sick children and their families. When the “OK Kids Korral” facility was inaugurated in 2014, it provided a free, convenient, and comfortable place for children undergoing chemotherapy to stay while undergoing treatment.
“Red Solo Cup” and “I Wanna Talk About Me” are two of Keith’s most popular songs. After the 9/11 attacks, he published the song “Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American),” which made him a household celebrity.