Toby Keith was voted into the Nation Music Corridor of Fame sooner or later after the singer died after a battle with abdomen most cancers. He was 62.
Sarah Trahern, the CEO of the Nation Music Affiliation, made the revelation Monday after asserting that singer John Anderson, 69, and James Burton, 84, can be becoming a member of Keith within the prestigious honor.
“Every of those inductees have made an indelible impression on nation music,” Trahern stated, per Billboard.
In her speech about every of the inductees, Trahern stated that the election guidelines prohibit somebody from being elected into the Nation Music Corridor of Fame within the 12 months by which they go away. Nonetheless, that didn’t apply to the late singer as he had been elected previous to his demise in February.
“Nominations have been made within the fall of 2023 with the primary poll despatched to voters earlier than the vacations, with the ultimate poll closing on Friday, Feb. 2,” Trahern defined. “Our skilled companies companions at Deloitte launched the outcomes to us just some days later.”
“This 12 months, we anticipated receiving the names of our ultimate inductees on Tuesday, Feb. 6. As we all know now, we awoke that morning to the heartbreaking information that our good friend Toby Keith had misplaced his lengthy battle with abdomen most cancers,” she added, noting that they acquired the ultimate votes from Deloitte mere hours after the information broke.
“Really one of many biggest honors of my job is getting to tell these inductees that they’re the most recent members of the hallowed class,” Trahern stated. “My coronary heart sank that Tuesday afternoon, understanding that we had missed the prospect to tell Toby whereas he was nonetheless with us.”
“However I’ve little doubt that he’s smiling down on us, understanding that he’ll all the time be ‘nearly as good as he as soon as was,’ ” she concluded, referring to Keith’s 2005 single “As Good As I As soon as Was.”
A rep for the late singer informed The Submit that Keith’s household was grateful that he was voted in.
“Toby’s passing left our hearts damaged,” the rep stated. “We miss him a lot.”
“However we take consolation that his music and legacy will reside without end,” the assertion continued. “Thanks Nation Music Corridor of Fame for serving to maintain it alive.”
Keith’s household introduced the nation crooner’s passing on Feb. 6.
“Toby Keith handed peacefully final night time on February fifth, surrounded by his household,” the submit on X (previously Twitter) learn. “He fought his battle with grace and braveness. Please respect the privateness of his household at the moment.”
Two weeks previous to his demise, the “Ought to’ve Been a Cowboy” singer opened up about his ongoing battle. He was identified with most cancers in 2022.
“I used to be going by means of all of the chemo, radiation, surgical procedure, and I acquired to the purpose the place I used to be comfy with no matter occurred. I had my mind wrapped round it, and I used to be in a great place both method,” the Nation Music Award winner informed Oklahoma’s Information 9.
In the identical interview, Keith praised his spouse of 39 years, Tricia Lucus, for being “the very best nurse.”
“Oh, she’s been a trooper,” he stated. “The primary time we went to Houston, to the hospital, she stepped proper in and she or he simply took management and stated, ‘We acquired this. Let’s go.’ So she’s like, ‘We’re going to get this and don’t fear about it.’ “
The formal induction of the Class of 2024 is slated to happen on the Nation Music Corridor of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, in October.