Country singer and novelty chain restauranteur Toby Keith announced that he has stomach cancer, and has been undergoing treatment for the past six months. “Last fall I was diagnosed with stomach cancer,†Keith wrote on social media. “I’ve spent the last 6 months receiving chemo, radiation and surgery. So far, so good. I need time to breathe, recover and relax.†Keith had been scheduled to perform at Ohio State Fair on July 28, but the fair’s organizers told Variety that his set had been canceled. Keith had also been set to perform a handful of other shows this summer, but will presumably cancel or reschedule those as well.
Fellow performers reached out in support of Keith via social media, including John Rich of Big and Rich, and Sammy Hagar, who also has a chain of restaurants to his name. Last October, Keith released his first album in five years and was awarded a National Medal of the Arts by Trump (during the Impeachment).