Toby Keith's legacy lives on in his music. But it's his final recording that cues the tears, and likely will for a long, long time.
Videos by Wide Open Country
Keith joined Luke Combs to sing "Ships That Don't Come In," a Joe Diffie hit, with Diffie's voice also heard in the recording. Diffie passed away in 2020, and HARDY created an entire album, Difftape, with artists singing Diffie classics.
Keith passed away on February 4, 2024. The video, released after Keith's passing, shows the singer looking gaunt and unwell. But his voice remains unmatched, which is why the song has such an emotional impact.
"I grew up listening to both of those guys' music, so to be a part of this version of the song and it now be Toby's last recording is kind of hard to put into words," Combs tells The Tennessean. "Country music misses them greatly, but I hope we're doing justice to continue what they started."
Toby Keith's Tragic Death
In 2022, Keith revealed that he was battling stomach cancer. Keith vowed to do all he could to fight the disease, but ultimately succumbed to his illness. On the one year anniversary of Keith's tragic passing, his family opened up about what life was like without the Country Music Hall of Fame member.
"We can't believe it's been a year since the world lost Toby,' the family writes on social media. "We have a hole in our heart and our lives. The love and support from the community that Toby created has left us all thankful and grateful. It has and continues to honor Toby. We know he would be proud of the legacy he left behind. Today we hope you will celebrate and listen to his music with us, where we know he is smiling down and raising his cup. A toast to a life well lived."
Keith's daughter Krystal also shared her thoughts on life without her famous father.
"It feels like yesterday we said goodbye and yet it somehow has also been the longest year without him," she says in part. "I can't help but find gratitude in all the time we had because we did all of life as a family unit. It's hard to find a candid picture where he doesn't have one of our babies in his arms. He was their favorite, and they were his."
