Toby Keith, the country music singer-songwriter known for hits like “Beer for My Horses” and “As Good as I Once Was,” died Monday night of stomach cancer. The news was announced on his official website with a statement that reads, “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5, surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”
Born in Oklahoma, Keith broke through in 1993 with the single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” from his debut album, released that same year. He continued to be a hitmaker for country throughout the 1990s, but broke through to Top 40 with his 1999 song “How Do You Like Me Now?”
In 2002, Keith further entered the mainstream with the divisive “Courtesy of the Red, White, & Blue (The Angry American),” a patriotic song written in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks.