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Toby Keith’s family shared a new statement on Friday morning (October 25) following his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame earlier this week. Keith was part of the Class of 2024 inducted during the Medallion Ceremony hosted on Sunday (October 20) in the CMA Theater at the Hall of Fame in Downtown Nashville, Tennessee.
The legendary “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” artist was inducted alongside John Anderson and James Burton. Keith’s family expressed their gratitude to Kyle Young, Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum Chief Executive Officer, Alabama’s Randy Owen for a moving tribute, and performers who covered a few of Keith’s songs in his honor.
“The Keith family sends their heartfelt congratulations to [John Anderson] and James Burton for your inductions into the Country Music Hall of Fame,” reads the statement posted to Keith’s Instagram account on Friday. “They would like to thank Kyle Young and the [Country Music Hall of Fame] as well as Randy Owen for inducting Toby into the Hall of Fame and for your beautiful words. Thank you also to [Post Malone], [Eric Church] and [Blake Shelton] for your incredible performances of some of Toby’s most beloved songs.”
Post Malone performed “I’m Just Talking’ About Tonight” during the induction ceremony (he delivered a rendition of “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” during his headlining tour stop in Nashville the night prior). Church performed “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” and Shelton performed a medley of “I Love This Bar” and “Red Solo Cup.” After Owen took the stage to share heartfelt remarks about Keith and present his medallion and plaque to the family, Keith’s wife, Tricia Covel, spoke for the first time since losing her husband earlier this year. Keith and his wife were married for nearly four decades when he died in February, following a years-long battle with stomach cancer. He was 62.
“For nearly 30 years, Oklahoma native Toby Keith was one of the most consistent hitmakers in country music,” per the Hall of Fame. “Between 1993 and his death in 2024, he had 42 Top 10 country hits and 20 #1 hits. Worldwide, he sold more than 40 million records. Keith wrote or co-wrote most of his material, sharing a perspective on life that was by turns tough, tender and humorous in hit songs such as ‘As Good as I Once Was,’ ‘Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue’ and ‘Hope on the Rocks.’ A savvy businessman, he launched his own successful record label and publishing company.”