Toby Keith's 'feud' and four other things you may not have known about the larger-than-life singer

The country music world said goodbye to celebrated singer-songwriter, Toby Keith, on Feb. 5. The country music star died at age 62 after a battle with stomach cancer.

According to a statement on his website and social media accounts, Keith "passed peacefully" while "surrounded by family." "He fought his fight with grace and courage," the statement said.

Following the news of his death, various country musicians as well as prominent figures expressed their condolences on social media. Many of them shared fond memories and expressed just how much the influential country musician would be missed.

"It is always hard when we lose our brothers and sisters in country music," said Dolly Parton in a statement. "Toby Keith was one of the greats in every way. He will be missed but his music and legacy will live on."

As country music fans mourn the loss of an icon, here is what you may not have known about Keith.

More: Watch Toby Keith's last performance at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville

Toby Keith's beginnings on oil rigs in Oklahoma

Keith worked a variety of odd jobs in his native Oklahoma before skyrocketing to country fame.

In a 2013 Forbes magazine feature, Keith recalled earning the modern equivalent of the same sort of money made by Wall Street investors fresh out of college at 18 while climbing oil rigs. He later went on to work as a bricklayer, played defensive end for the semi-pro Oklahoma City Drillers football team and earned $35 a night playing cover songs at local bars.

'How Do You Like Me Now,' one of Toby Keith's biggest singles wasn't considered a hit

"How Do You Like Me Now," one of Keith's largest-selling singles, had a rocky path to the Billboard charts.

Keith famously left Mercury after he recalled new-label chief Luke Lewis saying he didn't hear a hit when he heard a rough cut of what would become the album of the same name.

Keith bought back his album from Mercury and went to DreamWorks Records' Nashville division in 1999.

There the album's producer, James Stroud, didn't believe in the song at first. Stroud claimed that the song wouldn't appeal to female audiences unlike the album's first single "When Love Fades." After the song's release as the album's second single, Stroud realized he was wrong.

"Toby is his own man," he said. "He knows what he wants to say and what the people want to hear. So you trust him and basically leave him alone."

"How Do You Like Me Now" hit the top of the Hot Country Singles chart on March 18, 2000 and stayed there for five weeks. The album of the same name was widely successful, selling 3.1 million copies.

Was Toby Keith in the military? No, but his father was

Toby Keith didn't serve time in the military himself; he was, however, the son of a veteran and dedicated ample time to supporting service members.

In 2009, Keith told the American Forces Press Service that his father taught him to respect veterans.

"It's that respect and the thank-you that we have a military that's in place and ready to defend our nation, our freedom," he said.

Toby Keith's feud with The Chicks' Natalie Maines

Keith never shied away from displaying his fervent patriotism.

In 2002, Keith released "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (the Angry American)," a song which was inspired by the death of his father in March of 2001 and the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.

Natalie Maines of the Chicks criticized the song's tone, which led to a feud between the two.

Keith responded by deriding Maines' songwriting skills and displaying a doctored photo of her with Saddam Hussein as a backdrop at his concerts. Maines later wore a T-shirt with the letters "FUTK" on the front at the Academy of Country Music Awards in May 2023. A spokesperson for the Chicks said the acronym stood for "Friends United in Truth and Kindness."

Toby Keith's philanthropic efforts

In 2004, Keith helped found Ally's House ? a nonprofit group that aids Oklahoma children with cancer and their families.

Two years later, Keith founded the nonprofit organization The Toby Keith Foundation. The foundation aims to help children with cancer and providing no-cost housing for children battling the disease.

In 2014, the foundation opened OK Kids Korral, a cost-free home for pediatric cancer patients receiving treatment at OU Health University of Oklahoma Medical Center and surrounding facilities.

Diana Leyva covers trending news and service for The Tennessean. Contact her at [email protected] or follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter at @_leyvadiana

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Toby Keith's feud with the Chicks and 4 things to know about career