Country music star Toby Keith’s spouse, Tricia Lucus, has been with him through thick and thin over the years, and three decades later, she remains his pillar of strength. Apart from health issues, he struggled to get a foot in the door before becoming a seasoned star.
The singer-songwriter graduated from Moore High School in 1979. After that, he became an oil field worker earning $50,000 annually for the job.
Singer Toby Keith with wife Tricia Lucus and their son Stelen arrive for the 34th Annual CMA Awards at the Grand Old Opry on October 24, 2000 in Nashville, Tennessee | Source: Getty Images
At the time, Keith had already established his love for music. He taught himself how to play the guitar and wrote original songs as a teenager. The future country music star revealed he penned between “200 to 300 songs” until he eventually came up with a hit song.
Keith would play at local bars with his band Easy Money in his free time as a music hustler. During that period, he met his future wife, Tricia Lucus, at one of the clubs where he was performing. The pair shared the dance floor together that evening and began dating shortly after.
Toby Keith and Tricia Lucus participate in the Academy of Country Music Chairman’s Ride on April 4, 2009 at the Echo Bay Marina in the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Nevada | Source: Getty Images
“He was one of those larger-than-life guys, full of confidence.”
By the time the couple wed, Keith’s company had gone broke, and he shifted his focus to music. The Oklahoma native and his band began performing full-time while he tried to balance everything else, including raising a family and crunching the numbers at home.
Despite struggling financially, this didn’t seem to crush Keith’s spirit. In fact, Lucus recalled that he used to tell her that he would make it big one day:
Battle with Cancer
While enjoying the fruits of his labor, the Hollywood star learned devastating news when he discovered he had stomach cancer. Keith was diagnosed with the disease in the fall of 2021.
He continues to lean on his family, who remain supportive during this dark period in his life. In June 2022, the father of three told his fans that he was taking a break from the limelight to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery.
He recently expressed optimism amid his health battle while noting that he needed time to “rest up” and recover. Keith said even though his condition has made him physically weak, so long as everything works out during the healing process, there is “something good” to look forward to.
The “Trailerhood” singer said he had been through chemo, radiation, and surgery over six months and that everything was going according to plan.
He added that although he was going to spend more time with his family, he was looking forward to seeing his fans – which may be “sooner” than expected.
Keith thanked his beloved supporters in an Instagram post and deemed them the “best.” He added, “Thank you all for your love and support. I have the best fans in the world.”
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