Zach Bryan paid tribute to the late Toby Keith Saturday during his pre-Super Bowl performance in Las Vegas. Here he delivered an emotional and tear-jerking cover of "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue, much to the bittersweet delight of the audience.
"Just one of the best songs ever made," Bryan tweeted of Keith's 2002 hit after his concert Friday at the Cosmopolitan. "Meant quite a bit to sing my songs and Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue with all of ya."
Bryan was among the dozens of country artists to memorialize Keith and acknowledge his impact following news of the "Should've Been a Cowboy" singer's death Tuesday at the age of 62 following a bout with stomach cancer. Keith "died peacefully" "surrounded by his family," according to a statement from his family.
The late singer is said to have confronted his adversary with courage and poise.
"Too many rides in my old man's car listening to Toby Keith. really hard thing to hear. rest in peace friend we love you," Bryan wrote on social media following the news of Keith's death. "America lost a fuckin hero man."
Additionally, Bryan provided support for Keith in his defense of those who criticized the deceased singer's political position and candid views.
"This pretentious stuff is so annoying man," Bryan said. "Man made a living off of many great songs. His patriotic shit related to the people when it did for a reason, that's a great songwriter. Celebrate it instead of making everything negative begging."
More than two years after receiving a stomach cancer diagnosis, country music artist Toby Keith passed away on Monday night at the age of 62.
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Keith revealed on X in June 2022 that he had been diagnosed in the fall of 2021 and had already undergone surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. Then, in June of last year, he reported to Oklahoma City's The Oklahoman newspaper that his tumor had decreased by one-third and that he was still receiving chemotherapy.
He added that he also underwent immunotherapy, which is medication that stimulates the immune system to eliminate cancer cells. Since his passing, medical professionals have urged people to be aware of the warning indications of stomach cancer, which include nausea, ulcers, heartburn, acid reflux, anemia, pain after eating, abrupt weight loss, and feeling full after consuming little amounts of food.
Many of these items are rather harmless. However, it is naturally how cancer strikes a person, according to Johns Hopkins Medicine's division chief of gastrointestinal oncology, Dr. Fabian Johnston.
According to Johnston, diagnosis delays can occur when medical professionals and patients are tempted to write off symptoms like acid reflux as unimportant. Many have advanced disease by the time symptoms manifest, he said. Men are slightly more likely to be diagnosed than women, with an average age of 68.
