TOBY Keith was a country music icon with a decades-long career in the entertainment industry.
Amidst the news of the star's tragic death, fans want to know more about his dad and what happened to him.
2
What happened to Toby Keith's dad, Hubert Keith Covel Jr.?
Hubert Keith Covel Jr. was the father of singer Toby Keith, Tonni Covel, and Tracy Covel, whom he shared with Carolyn Joan Covel.
As The Oklahoman reported, he was tragically killed at 67 years old following a collision with a bus.
Per the outlet, his pickup truck "crossed a median on Interstate 35 south of Norman and struck a tour bus" on March 24, 2001.
Hubert "died at the scene from head and internal injuries."
Read More On Toby Keith
He had been on his way home from a childhood friend's barbecue in Lindsay, Oklahoma, per the outlet.
"I hate to speculate, but I think he had a stroke, It was early part of the afternoon, time for him to cat around," Toby said at the time.
"Something happened to get him over the median. He was only going 35 mph. He was too good a driver," he continued.
However, as the Law Offices of Laird & McCloskey later reported, Toby's family "learned another vehicle had bumped the truck and filed a wrongful death lawsuit to clear Covel’s name," according to their attorney, Greg Dixon.
Most read in Entertainment
Per "evidence presented at trial," a charter bus owned by Elias and Pedro Rodriguez was "in urgent need" of brake repairs before Hubert was killed in the accident, said Dixon.
"The Rodriguezes had been advised of the brake problem before Covel’s truck crossed the center median and struck the bus, he said," the outlet continued.
"The jury found no fault on the part of Mr. Covel in the wreck that claimed his life," Dixon said, following the verdict.
Toby's family was awarded $2.8 million in damages for his dad's death.
According to The Oklahoman, Hubert served overseas in the military. In June 1960, he went home to marry Carolyn Ross, later known as Carolyn Joan Covel.
The father of three worked in the oil field industry for the next 35 years.
Following retirement, he "became active" in the Masonic Lodge and in Calvary Freewill Baptist Church in Norman, Oklahoma.
"He was tremendously proud of his work with the lodge and church," Toby said of his dad, per the publication.
Who was Toby Keith?
Toby was born Toby Keith Covel in Clinton, Oklahoma, on July 8, 1961.
The country music singer-songwriter had a highly successful career that spanned over three decades.
Within that time, he released 21 studio albums and 69 singles, including 20 number-one hits, per USA Today.
According to Billboard, his top ten songs include:
- How Do You Like Me Now?! (1999)
- Should've Been a Cowboy (1993)
- I Wanna Talk About Me (2001)
- Wish I Didn't Know Now (1994)
- Courtesy of the Red, White, and Blue (The Angry American) (2002)
- Upstairs Downtown (1994)
- As Good As I Once Was (2005)
- He Ain't Worth Missing (1993)
- My List (2002)
- Red Solo Cup (2011)
Toby was also a record producer and actor.
In 2005, he founded the Show Dog Nashville record label alongside Scott Borchetta.
As Parade reported, he also owned a minority stake in Big Machine Records, which previously signed Taylor Swift.
According to his IMDb page, Toby starred in films such as Beer for My Horses (2008) and Broken Bridges (2006).
He married Tricia Lucus in 1984, and the pair had three kids, including two daughters and one son.
44-year-old Shelley Covel Rowland was born in 1980, followed by 38-year-old Krystal Keith in 1985.
The couple welcomed Stelen Keith Covel, 27, in 1997.
What was Toby Keith's cause of death?
As NBC News reported, Toby died at 62 on the night of Monday, February 5, 2024, following a battle with stomach cancer.
"Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th, surrounded by his family," said a statement on the star's social media accounts.
2
"He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time," it continued.
The country legend announced his cancer diagnosis on X — formerly known as Twitter — on June 12, 2022.
"Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer. I've spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax," he wrote in the tweet.
"I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can't wait. - T."
At the People’s Choice Country Awards on September 28, 2023, Toby discussed his cancer battle with E! News before going on to receive the Country Icon Award.
Read More on The US Sun
"I feel pretty good. It's a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you're up and down, up and gown. It's always zero to 60 and 60 to zero but I feel good today," he said at the time.
Toby continued to record and perform despite his illness, having put on three live shows in Las Vegas, Nevada in December 2023, per NBC News.
