Toby Keith Had to 'Really Work' to Get His 'Belt' Back After Stomach Cancer Surgery: 'I Sing Violent and Loud'

Mar. 15, 2025

Tammie Arroyo/Variety via Getty Images

“The thing that I’ve had to overcome, the surgery I had on my stomach, they had to stick on my diaphragm, so not using it to sing every night, that is a muscle, so I’ve had to really work that to get it,” the “Red Solo Cup” crooner said in the Jan. 5 interview.

“I sing really, really hard and really, really violent and loud. And I didn’t have that last 10 per cent on the bottom where I could just really belt anything, you know?” he continued. “Like when I sang ‘MacArthur Park’ at Carnegie Hall, that was like opera stuff. So I don’t know if I could do that. But what I do on stage is no problem.”

“I’ve had to work on my diaphragm and it’s getting better all the time. I went through about three hours yesterday, off and on, going through our list, working it up. And I didn’t have any issues,” he added.

Katherine Bomboy/NBC via Getty Images

The country singer died Monday afterannouncing his cancer diagnosis in June 2022. In the announcement, Keith, who said he’d received his diagnosis “last fall,” confirmed that he’d already gone through six months of chemotherapy, radiation and surgery.

Keith’s family revealed in a statement posted onX (formerly known as Twitter)Tuesday that the musician had died the previous day.

Despite his diagnosis, Keithcontinued to play live, with his last shows taking place just two months ago at Park MGM in Las Vegas.

Allen Clark/NBC via Getty Images

“3 sold out shows in Vegas was a damn good way to end the year,” he posted on Instagram on Dec. 28.

The shows, which Keithannounced in October 2023, were his first since he revealed his diagnosis.

“It’ll be my first two shows. They’re kind of rehab shows — get the band back in sync, get me rolling again,” he added. “First time in my whole life I’ve been off over two years. I’ve never been off a year in my life.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

A month before announcing the shows, the “Should Have Been a Cowboy” singerspoke about his cancer diagnosiswhile attending thePeople’s Choice Country Awardsin September 2023.

The star, who also performed at the ceremony, toldE! Newsat the time that his cancer struggle is “a little bit of a roller coaster. You get good days and, you know, you’re up and down, up and down.”

“It’s always zero to 60 and 60 to zero but I feel good today,” said Keith, who sharedthree childrenwith his wife of 40 years, Tricia Lucus.

source: people.com