Country music icon Toby Keith, who passed away last month, is set to be immortalized in the Country Music Hall of Fame. During the induction announcement ceremony on Monday, Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern revealed that Keith had been posthumously elected in the Modern Era category mere hours after news of his death broke.
“We woke up that morning to the heartbreaking news that our friend Toby Keith had lost his long battle with stomach cancer,” Trahern said.
“My heart sank,” she said, “knowing that we missed the chance to inform Toby while he was still with us. But I have no doubt that he is smiling down on us, knowing that he’ll always be, — quote — ‘as good as he once was.’”
Trahern clarified that although the election rules typically prevent posthumous inductions, an exception was made for Toby Keith, who had already been selected before his passing.
The voting concluded on Feb. 2, with the official results finalized on Feb. 6, just a day after Keith’s demise.
The other notable inductees revealed on Monday include singer John Anderson and guitarist James Burton.
Keith passed away on Feb. 5 at 62 after battling stomach cancer, which he had publicly disclosed in June 2022.
With an impressive track record boasting 32 No. 1 hits and 42 songs in Billboard’s Top 10 country chart, Keith’s legacy is exemplified by his iconic 1993 single, “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.”
