For reasons extremely unfortunate and tragic, Tricia Lucus is in the news at the moment.
This is due to the loss of Toby Keith,, the country music superstar who died on Monday night at the age of 62.
Keith had been diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2021 and, according to a statement from his family, “passed peacefully, surrounded by his family.”
This same message added that the artist “fought his fight with grace and courage.”
Keith produced 61 tracks that appeared on the Billboard Hot Country Songs, with 20 of them hitting number-one and 22 others landing in the top 10.
Throughout his three-decade long career, the musician released 24 studio and compilation albums, along with two Christmas records… generating $40 million in global sales.
In September of last year, Keith took home the Country Music Icon Award at the People’s Choice Country Awards.
Lucus, meanwhile, met Keith shortly after after she graduated from high school, back when Keith was working in the oil fields and trying to turn his music dreams into a professional reality.
The couple, who met at a bar, dated for three years and got married in 1984.
“I was 19 and he was 20,” Lucus told People Magazine in 2001. “He was just one of those larger-than-life guys, full of confidence.”
Not much changed about Keith over the many decades since.
Lucus is a mom to three kids.
She gave birth to her first daughter, Shelley Covel Rowland in 1980, prior to meeting Keith.
After they became husband and wife, Keith adopted Shelley… and the spouses went on to have two more children:
Daughter Krystal in 1985 and son Stelen in 1997.
Keith gushed openly about his wife on numerous occasions.
“I absolutely love performing and writing songs, but being at home with my wife, Tricia, and my three kids is the best feeling of all,” he previously told Country Weekly.
Way back in 1991, Lucus gave a rare interview to People in which she said that Keith always made an effort to make her feel special.
“Most people think he is just the most romantic person on the planet,” she said at the time.
“He has his moments of charm. It is nice to get a bouquet of flowers, but I’ve told him, ‘Save the money. Roses die in five to seven days. Buy me an outfit or take me to dinner.’”
We continue to send our condolences to Lucus and all others who knew and loved Toby Keith.
May the singer rest in peace.
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