Toby Keith Honored With Posthumous Degree From the University of Oklahoma

Toby Keith performs onstage during the 2021 iHeartCountry Festival Presented by Capital One at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin, Texas, on Oct. 30, 2021. Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for iHeartMedia

Legendary country singer Toby Keith, who rose to fame in 1993 with the release of his debut single “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” has been awarded an honorary degree from the University of Oklahoma three months after his tragic passing.

Mr. Keith’s daughter, Krystal Keith, 38, took the stage during one of the university’s commencement ceremonies on May 11 to accept the academic award on behalf of her father.

According to a statement shared to the “Red Solo Cup” singer’s Instagram account on May 12, Mr. Keith was informed last fall that he would be receiving the honorary degree. The Clinton, Oklahoma native was an avid fan of the university’s football team, the Oklahoma Sooners, and all three of his children, including his adopted daughter Shelley, 44, and son Stelen, 27, attended the school.

“The @uofoklahoma is a HUGE part of our life,” Ms. Krystal Keith wrote in an Instagram post, shared the day of the commencement ceremony.

“My dad started selling cokes at 12 or 13 yrs old in the stadium so he could see the games live. We have traveled as a family with the teams to bowl games and championships as long as I can remember. Planning weddings, vacations and big life events around team schedules. He was also clear about where he was willing to spend his money when we head off to college,” she added. “He bled crimson and it’s genetic.”

The University of Oklahoma’s president, Joseph Harroz Jr., took to X, formerly Twitter, to share that he was “incredibly grateful” to Ms. Krystal Keith, as well as the late singer’s wife, Tricia, for attending the event. “Miss you and each and every day, TK,” he wrote.

In a video published to the university’s YouTube account on May 13, Bob Stoops, who served as the Sooners’s head football coach from 1999 to 2017, said the school “couldn’t be prouder to salute” Mr. Keith.

“In the heartland of America, where the land stretches wide and the spirit runs deep, one man stood tall, embodying the boldness and grit of ‘The Sooner State,’” Mr. Stoops recited.

“From his humble beginnings in Clinton to the bright lights of Nashville, Toby carried the essence of Oklahoma with him every step of the way. His chart-topping music reached fans around the globe, with billions of streams, millions of radio plays, and over 40 million albums sold. As a performer, he commanded the stage like no other with his powerhouse vocals and undeniable charisma,” he continued.

“Toby’s legacy at the University of Oklahoma will never be forgotten. There’s no doubt an honorary degree from OU would have been one of his most cherished tributes. We'll always miss our friend Toby.”

Remembering a ‘Lifelong Sooner’

Mr. Keith died on Feb. 5 at the age of 62 following a two-year-long battle with stomach cancer. The musician revealed in the summer of 2022 that he had been diagnosed with the disease, which develops in the cells that line the stomach, in the fall of 2021.

Mr. Keith indicated in an Instagram post shared on June 12, 2022, that he had spent the previous six months receiving chemotherapy and radiation treatment. He also noted that he had undergone stomach surgery to remove his cancerous tumor.

The day after his passing, Mr. Harroz Jr. penned an emotional statement, displayed on the university’s website, calling Mr. Keith a “proud son of Oklahoma.”

“Throughout his illustrious career, he remained rooted in his Oklahoma upbringing, choosing to live in the state that shaped him and giving back generously to his fellow Oklahomans,” Mr. Harroz Jr. wrote, touching on Mr. Keith’s philanthropic efforts, which include founding The Toby Keith Foundation in 2006 to help children afflicted with cancer.

“As a lifelong Sooner, Toby’s passion for the crimson and cream made him a cherished figure within Sooner Nation, where he proudly shared his love for the university and its community,” he noted.

“His spirit will live on through his timeless music, the memories he created, and the countless lives he touched by sharing his talent, generosity, and his Oklahoma spirit with the world.”

Posthumous Accolades

In February—just one week after his death—Mr. Keith made Billboard history by becoming the first artist to secure nine of the Top 10 spots on the Country Digital Song Sales chart in the same week, led by his 2018 track “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” which returned to the chart’s No. 1 spot. The award-winning musician bested rankings once held by the late Kenny Rogers, who passed away in March 2020 at the age of 81, and pop sensation Taylor Swift.

The following month, the Country Music Association announced that the late country crooner had joined country singer John Anderson and guitarist James Burton as the newest members to be inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame.

The association will formally induct the trio into the Country Music Hall of Fame in October during the annual Medallion Ceremony at the CMA Theater in Nashville, Tennessee.