Toby Keith’s passing shocked the country music world. For a while, many believed he would continue fighting stomach cancer and return to making music. Unfortunately, though, he passed away Monday night (February 5). After hearing the news, many of Keith’s country music contemporaries shared heartfelt tributes to the hitmaker. Earlier today, CMT announced a new special honoring Keith.
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CMT Remembers: Toby Keith will air tomorrow (February 8) at 8/7c on CMT. According to the short trailer posted on the network’s social media accounts, the thirty-minute special will take a look back at Keith’s career. It will also examine who the Oklahoma native was behind the music.
Details on the contents of the special are sparse. However, the trailer gives an idea of what it will include. “He was one of country music’s biggest stars,” the trailer’s voiceover said. “But he was much more than that. He was a symbol of the American pride and spirit that filled his songs.”
Oklahoma Remembers Toby Keith
Long before Keith was a country star, he was an Oklahoma resident. His roots run deep in the Sooner State. As a result, Oklahomans from all walks of life are mourning his passing. News 9, an Oklahoma City-based news outlet, spoke to several people who shared their memories of the “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” singer.
Clips of interviews with a wide range of people show what those who knew him for more than his music said about him. They called him things like a family man, a personable guy, and more than one individual called the star humble. “He was completely authentic. Authentically Toby Keith,” the University of Oklahoma athletic director and longtime friend of the country star, Joe Casticlione said. “One of the legacies we’ll always remember about Toby is not just the way he touched our heart but the way he left a mark on our heart that will last forever,” he added.
Casticlione went on to say that Keith was, “A loving husband, a doting father, and grandfather. Always there for his family.”
That dedication to his family and community says more about the character of Keith than any number of chart-topping singles ever could.
Featured Image by Rick Diamond/Getty Images for Country Thunder USA
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