Toby Keith Announces First Concert Since Cancer Diagnosis: ‘Almighty’s Riding Shotgun’
By Movieguide® Contributor
Toby Keith is returning to the stage this December, marking his first scheduled performance since his stomach cancer diagnosis last summer.
“Hey, everybody! This is Toby Keith. It’s been a while,” the country star posted on YouTube. “You know what I’ve been doing… been on the old rollercoaster, but Almighty’s riding shotgun. He’s letting me drive for some reason.”
“We’re making a big announcement. I’m doing a little deal and thought I’d start in the great Las Vegas,” Keith announced.
“I was going to sit around here and do nothing like I have been, or get up and go outside and don’t let the old man in,” he continued, referring to a recent single, “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”
“It’ll be my first two shows,” he added. “They’re kind of rehab shows…get the band back in sync, get me rolling again. First time in my whole life, I’ve been off over two years. I’ve never been off a year in my life.”
Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the summer of 2022 and immediately began chemotherapy treatment. While he has always remained optimistic about beating the cancer, it forced the singer to lay low.
However, Keith recently started performing again with a surprise two-night set at his restaurant in Oklahoma this July and appeared at the People’s Choice Country Music Awards at the end of September.
“Through COVID and cancer, [the] old Devil’s been after me a little bit, [but] I’ve got him by the horns right now,” he said. “So instead of just sitting around and waiting, we’re going to get the band back together.”
Throughout his battle, Keith has openly relied on his faith, often stating that he could not have made it through without God as his rock.
“I lean on my faith, and I just pray and lean into it,” he said. “You gotta’ do what you gotta’ do, and I don’t know how people do it without faith…that’s what I did, it was my rock.”
Keith will return to the stage on December 10 and 11, performing at the Dolby Live Theater at Park MGM in Las Vegas.
Movieguide® previously reported on Keith:
Country music icon Toby Keith updated his fans about his stomach cancer while accepting an award at the People’s Choice Country Awards.
“I feel pretty good,” Keith told E! News. “It’s a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, and gown. It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero, but I feel good today.”
“I want to thank the Almighty for allowing me to be here tonight. He’s been riding shotgun with me for a little while,” Keith added while accepting the 2023 Country Icon Award.
“I’ve been going through my cancer fight for the last couple of years and it’s really inspiring for a lot of people,” Keith told NBC before the event.
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Now more than ever we’re bombarded by darkness in media, movies, and TV. Movieguide® has fought back for almost 40 years, working within Hollywood to propel uplifting and positive content. We’re proud to say we’ve collaborated with some of the top industry players to influence and redeem entertainment for Jesus. Still, the most influential person in Hollywood is you. The viewer.
What you listen to, watch, and read has power. Movieguide® wants to give you the resources to empower the good and the beautiful. But we can’t do it alone. We need your support.
You can make a difference with as little as $7. It takes only a moment. If you can, consider supporting our ministry with a monthly gift. Thank you.
Movieguide® is a 501c3 and all donations are tax deductible.
