Shutterstock / s_bukley
The Oklahoma native first rose to stardom in the '90s with hits including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “How Do You Like Me Now” and “A Little Less Take and A Lot More Action.”
The Oklahoma native, known for a string of best-selling pop-country anthems including “Should’ve Been a Cowboy," "How Do You Like Me Now” and “A Little Less Take and A Lot More Action," died in his sleep surrounded by family, the statement said.
Keith rose to fame in the '90s and continued adapting to mainstream country's evolving trends during the 2000s. His hits “Red Solo Cup” and “I Love This Bar" became party anthems known beyond the genre. He was also known for going on 11 USO tours after 9/11, often performing his patriotic hit “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.”
The singer's last San Antonio performance was during the 2022 Stock Show and Rodeo.
Over his career, Keith picked up accolades including the Academy of Country Music’s Male Vocalist of the Year and Album of the Year awards in 2001. In 2021, President Donald Trump awarded him the National Medal of the Arts.
Keith first announced his cancer diagnosis in 2022. Even so, he continued doing what he loved until the end, performing in Las Vegas as recently as December. During the 2023 People’s Choice Awards, a gaunt-looking Keith sang “Don’t Let The Old Man In” after winning the show’s Icon Award.
“I was going through all the chemo, radiation, surgery, and I got to the point where I was comfortable with whatever happened,” Keith told Oklahoma City’s News 9 in late January. “I had my brain wrapped around it, and I was in a good spot either way.”
Subscribe to SA Current newsletters.
Follow us: Apple News | Google News | NewsBreak | Reddit | Instagram | Facebook | Twitter| Or sign up for our RSS Feed
