Toby Keith, the country music legend who passed away on February 5, 2024, after a long battle with stomach cancer, was known for his patriotic songs, his support for the US troops, and his outspoken views on politics. But what about his religious beliefs? Was he Jewish or Christian? And how did his faith influence his life and music? Here is what we know about Keith’s religion and spirituality.
Toby Keith was a Christian
According to Celebrity Beliefs, a website that explores the religious views of famous people, Toby Keith said in an interview with CNN that he was religious and that he believed in prayer. He was thankful for his religion and considered himself as a Baptist.
Baptists are a group of Christians who emphasize the importance of baptism by immersion, the authority of the Bible, and the autonomy of local churches. Baptists are one of the largest Protestant denominations in the US, with about 15% of the population identifying as such.
Toby was born in Clinton, Oklahoma, on July 8, 1961, to Hubert Keith Covel Jr. and Carolyn Joan Ross Covel. His father was a veteran of the Korean War and worked in the oil fields, while his mother was a waitress. Toby grew up in a rural area and learned to play guitar at an early age. He attended Moore High School and played football, but dropped out to work in the oil industry. He later earned his GED and pursued a career in music.
Keith did not reveal much about his childhood or his family’s religious background, but it is likely that he was raised in a Baptist environment, as Oklahoma is part of the Bible Belt, a region in the US where evangelical Protestantism is predominant.
His Ethnicity and Origin
Toby Keith was born on July 8, 1961, in Clinton, Oklahoma, to Hubert Keith Covel Jr. and Carolyn Joan Ross. His ancestry was mostly English, with some Irish and Scottish roots. He also had a distant Jewish ancestor, Samuel Levy, who was a Sephardic Jew from Portugal who settled in Virginia in the 17th century. However, Toby did not identify as Jewish, nor did he practice Judaism. He was raised in a Baptist household and attended church regularly as a child.
Toby Keith’s Religious Views
Keith was a Christian who believed in God and prayed daily. He once said in an interview with CNN, “I am religious. I believe in prayer. I’m thankful for my religion. I consider myself a Baptist.” He also said that he respected other religions and did not judge anyone for their beliefs. He said, “I don’t care what you are. If you’re Muslim, Jewish, Catholic, whatever you are, I don’t care. As long as you’re a good person and you treat people right, I’m fine with you.”
Toby was not shy about expressing his faith in his songs. Some of his most popular hits, such as “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”, “American Soldier”, and “Made in America”, featured references to God, heaven, and the Bible. He also recorded several gospel songs, such as “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)”, a tribute to his friend and basketball star Wayman Tisdale, who died of cancer in 2009, and “Don’t Let the Old Man In”, a song inspired by a conversation he had with Clint Eastwood about aging gracefully.
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Toby leaned on his faith during his cancer battle
Toby Keith was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021, but he did not make it public until June 2022. He underwent chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, and continued to perform and entertain his fans until the end of his life. He died peacefully on February 5, 2024, surrounded by his family, according to a statement on his website.
In his last days, Toby leaned on his faith and said that he was comfortable with whatever happened. He told News 9, a local Oklahoma news outlet, in late January 2024, that he relied on his religion to get through his illness. “You take it for granted on the days that things are good, and you lean on it when days are bad,” Keith said. “It has taught me to lean on a little more every day.”
He also said that his wife Patricia and his family were his main support system. “She’s been a trouper. She stepped right in, took control, and said, ‘We got this,’” he said of his wife, whom he married in 1984 and had three children with.
Keith also shared with Fox News Digital that prayer played a key role in his battle. “I lean on my faith and I just pray and lean into it,” Keith 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’s faith influenced his music and views
Toby Keith’s faith was not only a personal matter, but also a source of inspiration and influence for his music and views. He often expressed his patriotism, his love for America, and his support for the military in his songs, such as “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)”, “American Soldier”, and “Made in America”. He also sang about his faith, such as in “Cryin’ for Me (Wayman’s Song)”, a tribute to his friend and basketball player Wayman Tisdale, who died of cancer in 2009. In the song, he sings: “I know you’re in a better place / And I know I’ll see you again someday / I’m cryin’ for me.”
He was also outspoken about his political views, and was often labeled as a conservative or a Republican. However, he said that he was not affiliated with any party, and that he voted for the best candidate regardless of their affiliation. He supported George W. Bush and Barack Obama, but criticized Donald Trump and Joe Biden. He also advocated for gun rights, marijuana legalization, and gay rights.
Toby was a complex and controversial figure, who was loved by many and hated by some. He was a man of faith, who believed in God, prayer, and the power of music. He was a man of courage, who faced his cancer with grace and dignity. He was a man of legacy, who left behind a rich and diverse catalog of songs that touched millions of people. He was Toby Keith, and he will be missed.
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