Although Toby Keith battled stomach cancer over the past few years, he didn’t let it dictate his life as he continued to entertain fans. Back in December, the country legend even held a string of sold-out shows in Las Vegas. Unknown to him or the people in attendance, it would mark the last time the singer stepped on stage. With a career spanning over 30 years, the star released hit songs like “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” and “Beer for My Horses.” Sadly, on February 5, he passed away. And while many paid tribute to the late star, Zach Bryan decided to take on his haters.
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Spending over 30 years in the spotlight caused a star like Keith to build an impressive fanbase. But at the same time, some didn’t necessarily enjoy what the singer produced. While sharing their opinions of the country legend, Bryan jumped on Twitter, writing, “This pretentious stuff is so annoying man. Man made a living off of many great songs. His patriotic shit related to the people when it did for a reason, that’s a great songwriter. Celebrate it instead of making everything negative begging.”
Blake Shelton Labels Toby Keith One Of The “Toughest” Men He Knew
Looking at the comment section, fans agreed with Bryan as they listed some of his greatest hits. One person wrote, “Just listened to ‘I’m so happy’ with Sting-forgot about that one. So,so good. Spent a full day Tuesday listening to Toby’s songs and could not believe how many greats the man had. Incredible!” And another fan added, “‘Wish I Didn’t Know Now What I Didn’t Know Then’ was my absolute favorite drunk song! Toby Keith was amazing, I mean ‘the boot in your ass’ was cool but he had a lot of other great songs too.”
[RELATED: CMT to Honor the Legacy of Toby Keith with TV Special This Week: How to Watch]
While Bryan tussled with those who criticized Keith’s legacy, Blake Shelton took a moment to remember the country star. Like most, Shelton knew about Keith’s ongoing struggles with cancer, but as he wrote – the singer was the toughest person he ever met. “Even though I knew about your battle these last few months I still never imagined this day. Anyone who knew you knows what I mean. You were the toughest man I ever met. Thank you brother for being a friend, a hero and an inspiration. There will never be another Toby Keith.”
(Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
