Little Boy Cries While Singing “Should’ve Been A Cowboy” After Learning Toby Keith Died

(Left) auntierandy_ / TikTok / (Right) John Shearer / Getty Images for ACM

Toby Keith Died On Monday, February 5 At The Age Of 62

One little boy captured the feelings of the entire country music community after Toby Keith passed away.

Toby died on Monday (February 5) following a years-long battle with stomach cancer. He received his diagnosis in 2021, but didn’t go public with the news until a few months later.

After taking some time off to be with his family and focus on his treatments, Toby returned to the spotlight in 2023. His last shows were held in Las Vegas in December.

His family shared the news of his death in a short but emotional statement on social media. They said:

“Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on February 5th surrounded by his family. He fought his fight with grace and courage. Please respect the privacy of his family at this time.”

Funeral details were announced on February 10. A private funeral service for family, band, and crew will be held in mid-February. A memorial service to honor Toby will be held at a later date.

Little Boy Cries & Sings A Toby Keith Song After Learning About His Passing

Members of the country music community shared heartfelt tributes to Toby after his death. Artists such as Carrie Underwood, Alan Jackson, and Blake Shelton shared their remembrances online.

Other artists, such as Jelly Roll, Luke Combs, and Tim McGraw, paid tribute to Keith with performances at their shows. Combs, for example, covered Keith’s “Should’ve Been a Cowboy” during a private show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Luke Combs 🎤 (@lukecombs)

One young fella named Gunnar also honored Toby by singing “Should’ve Been a Cowboy.” His aunt, who goes by the TikTok username auntierandy_, shared a video of Gunnar singing the tune after learning about Toby’s passing.

The poor little boy was crying over the loss of the great Toby Keith. His aunt said, “My nephew didn’t take Toby Keith’s death lightly. Hold your head up king.”

The video has generated over 12.5 million views since auntierandy_ posted it. Many people tried to comfort Gunnar in the comments, letting him know that he isn’t alone in his grief.

Some of those comments were:

“I cried listening to Toby Keith this morning. I feel you!”

“Oh buddy, me too, so many of my favorites from my childhood are Toby Keith.”

“Us too, buddy.”

“This is literally every 90s kid.”

“We all feel the same sweetheart, we feel the same.”

“Aw he still held it together to sing the song though.”

“You’re not alone buddy.”

Even country singer and America’s Got Talent star Drake Milligan saw the video. He commented, “Stay strong cowboy.”

Head below to watch the viral video of Gunnar’s reaction to Toby Keith’s death. He captures how we’ve all been feeling since we heard the news…

Toby Keith was the founder of the Toby Keith Foundation. The foundation helps support the OK Kids Korral, which serves as a home-away-from-home for families with children undergoing cancer treatments. If you’d like to make a donation in Toby’s memory, you can visit the Toby Keith Foundation’s official website here.