Renowned country singer Toby Keith, recognized for chart-toppers like “Red Solo Cup” and “Should Have Been a Cowboy,” has passed away at the age of 62. The singer-songwriter peacefully departed on Monday night, as communicated by his family in a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter). Toby Keith had been battling stomach cancer since his diagnosis in 2022.

The family’s statement conveyed, “Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5 surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage.” The message concluded with a request for privacy during this difficult time.

During the People’s Choice Country Awards in September 2023, Keith opened up about his cancer journey, describing it as a fluctuating experience akin to a roller coaster. Speaking with E! News, he shared, “You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.” At the event, he was accompanied by his wife of nearly 40 years, Tricia Lucus.

In December 2023, Keith marked a poignant return to the stage at Park MGM in Las Vegas, headlining his first official shows since disclosing his cancer diagnosis. In a YouTube video announcing the shows, he expressed, “It’ll be my first two shows. They’re kind of rehab shows — get the band back in sync, get me rolling again. First time in my whole life I’ve been off over two years. I’ve never been off a year in my life.”

Despite facing challenges from both COVID and cancer, Keith maintained his resilience. He played for U.S. presidents, including George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. In 2021, he was honored with the National Medal of the Arts by Trump.

Keith’s final Instagram post featured a video of himself singing, captioned, “And that’s a wrap on the weekend, y’all. Back to it.”