Toby Keith’s Biggest Supporters Were His 3 Kids Before His Death: Meet His Children With Wife Tricia

Country singer Toby Keith could always count on the support of his family. In June 2022, the CMA Award winner revealed that he received a devastating stomach cancer diagnosis and was taking time to recover by spending time with his loved ones. 

“​​Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,” he shared on Instagram at the time. “I’ve spent the last six months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax. I am looking forward to spending this time with my family. But I will see the fans sooner than later. I can’t wait.”

On February 6, 2024, it was announced on his official X account that he had died at age 62.

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

The hitmaker was a dad to daughters Shelley Covel Rowland and Krystal Keith and son Stelen Keith Covel. Iconic performers at the 2024 CMT Music Awards thanked Toby’s family for sharing his life with country music fans everywhere, paying tribute to the late singer’s music and legacy.

Who Is Toby Keith’s Eldest Daughter Shelley Covel Rowland?

Toby married his wife, Tricia Lucus, in 1984. Tricia was already a mom to Shelley, whom she welcomed in 1980 during a previous relationship. The songwriter went on to adopt Tricia’s daughter and raised her as his own. 

For most of her life, Shelley has chosen to live out of the spotlight. She did step out for a rare appearance with her parents for a SwingDish launch event in Las Vegas in 2015. Toby became a grandfather after Shelley welcomed two children of her own, per Country Fancast. 

Who Is Toby’s Youngest Daughter Krystal Keith?

Krystal, born in 1985, followed in her father’s footsteps, pursuing a country music career of her own. She opted to perform with the stage name Keith just like her dad, instead of their last name, Covel. The talented artist first gained recognition singing “Mockingbird” on her dad’s Greatest Hits 2 album in 2004. She joined him on stage at the CMAs that year to perform the anthem. 

After attending the University of Oklahoma, Krystal signed a record deal with Show Dog-Universal Music. The vocalist released several EPs and the 2013 album Whiskey & Lace. Her song “Daddy Dance with Me” became one of her most popular releases over the years, after she wrote it about her father and performed it on her wedding day. 

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Krystal married Andrew Robert Sandubrae in 2010. She is a mom to two daughters, Hensley Jack Sandubrae, born in 2015, and Kirby Kaye Sandubrae, born in 2019. She continued to maintain a close relationship with her father after growing up in the spotlight. 

“I think it speaks volumes that the way I kind of remember childhood is I don’t really remember him being gone,” she said on the “Children of Song” podcast in July 2018. “When he was home, he was so present that I don’t remember the spans of him being gone.”

In August 2024, Krystal took the stage at the two-hour NBC special Toby Keith: American Icon to perform “Don’t Let the Old Man In.” The night, with celebrity tributes from Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Luke Bryan and more, was full of emotions and memories of the late performer.

“I was thinking, ‘OK, I can make it through a party song.’ But when [producers] approached me with [‘Don’t Let the Old Man In’], I was like, ‘Well crap, I already cry with that song, just listening to it. I don’t know how I’m going to sing it,’” Krystal told People of the song choice. “I’m glad they did, though, because it turned out really special. I think that he would’ve been proud of it.”

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Who Is Toby’s Son Stelen Keith Covel?

Toby’s only son, Stelen, was born in 1997. According to his Instagram bio, he is an investor who works in venture management. In November 2021, Stelen married his longtime girlfriend, Haley, in Boulder City, Nevada. He shared several gorgeous photos from the big day on Instagram. He also posted sweet photos with his father frequently, making memories and supporting him during some of his biggest milestones.

Stelen posted a tribute to his dad on Instagram after his death.

“You are the strongest man I have ever known. A fighter. A true titan of your industry. My guiding star. My coach. My hero. An embodiment of the American Spirit,” he wrote. “You are a man whose strength, prowess, and talent could only be trumped by his ability to be a father and husband. Your impact is forever stamped on the world and on millions of people, yet not one person knew you the way I did. You were my biggest champion and the guiding light in my darkest times. The best mentor a man could ask for.”

“You held a passion that was greater than mountains and it radiates through every lyric and chord. In the everlasting echo from the legacy of your music, you leave me strength and faith to lean on in the silence that follows,” he continued. “You truly did it your way, from the starting gates to the finish line, and never apologized for it. The only thing I truly ever wanted in life was to make you proud. I promise I will continue to make you proud. It’s not goodbye forever; it’s just goodbye for now. I love you cowboy.”