With Toby Keith passing away after battling stomach cancer for several years, not only are fans mourning the loss but so is country music. Throughout his time in the spotlight, the singer released a staggering 19 studio albums. That doesn’t count the 2 Christmas albums or the 5 compilation albums. In all, the country legend sold an impressive 40 million albums. With the icon sadly passing away, celebrities and artists took a moment to remember the icon. But nothing came close to what his son had to say.
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As mentioned above, numerous stars fashioned heartfelt messages for the country icon, but for Stelen Keith Covel, he decided to write about a side of Keith that not many knew. Sharing a picture of his father holding him in the pool, Covel captioned the post, writing, “You are the strongest man I have ever known. A fighter. A true titan of your industry. My guiding star.” He continued, “My coach. My hero. An embodiment of the American Spirit. You are a man whose strength, prowess, and talent could only be trumped by his ability to be a father and husband. Your impact is forever stamped on the world and on millions of people, yet not one person knew you the way I did. You were my biggest champion and the guiding light in my darkest times. The best mentor a man could ask for.”
Fan Recalls Meeting Toby Keith 30 Years Ago
Not stopping there, Covel also discussed the passion that seemed to encompass Keith. “You held a passion that was greater than mountains and it radiates through every lyric and chord. In the everlasting echo from the legacy of your music, you leave me strength and faith to lean on in the silence that follows. You truly did it your way, from the starting gates to the finish line, and never apologized for it.”
[RELATED: Toby Keith’s Philanthropic Works Left Behind a Legacy That Is Bigger Than Country Music]
Covel ended his heartfelt message by revealing his goal in life was to make his father proud. “The only thing I truly ever wanted in life was to make you proud. I promise I will continue to make you proud. It’s not goodbye forever; it’s just goodbye for now. I love you cowboy.”
Gaining thousands of likes, fans flooded the comment section with love and support. One fan even recalled the impact Keith had on her over 30 years ago. “When I was 6 years old I went to his concert. We got back stage passes. He picked me up. Told me “now you look like my daughter” and the kissed me on the cheek. Almost 30 years later; that memory I’ll never forgot. I’m so sorry for your loss he was a good one.”
(Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI)
