Photo: Getty Images
Toby Keith’s family accepted the late legend’s newest award in his home state over the weekend.
Keith received the Special Directors’ Award at the 65th Western Heritage Awards at the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The country artist’s award “honor(s) individuals, films, literature, and music that preserve and promote the culture, values, and history of the American West.” The Class of 2026 also included Hall of Great Western Performers Ed Harris and Kenny Rogers, Hall of Great Westerners Arthur Nicholas and Luster Bayless, Chester A. Reynolds Award recipient Richard Oliver, and Western Visionary Award recipient Rex Tillerson, per a previous report. The awards took place on Friday (April 10) and Saturday (April 11).
Keith’s wife, Tricia Covel, daughter Shelley Covel Rowland and son Stelen Keith Covel accepted the honor in photos shared to Keith’s Instagram account on Monday (April 13). The caption reads: “He was recognized not only for his artistry, but for the lasting impact he made as a cultural ambassador sharing the spirit of Oklahoma and the Western way of life with audiences around the world.”
“Toby’s family is grateful to the museum for recognizing his place in history and how his career served and celebrated the country and Western way of life,” reads a post earlier this year when award recipients were revealed.
Keith “passed peacefully…surrounded by family,” on February 5, 2024, following a battle with stomach cancer. He was 62. He is survived by his wife, daughters Covel Rowland and Krystal Keith, his son and his grandchildren. See the photos from the event here: