PITTSTON TOWNSHIP, PA — Country music lovers in our area a remembering Toby Keith. The star lost his battle with stomach cancer overnight.
It was up to "Doc" and "Chewy" to break the news to their Froggy 101 listeners that country music star Toby Keith died, losing his battle with stomach cancer.
"This morning, we're talking all about Toby Keith, who passed away last night, surrounded by family."
Both men met Keith during appearances at Montage Mountain in Lackawanna County and the Bloomsburg Fair.
"He came across, could be in your face and scary to a lot of people, but he was just like, when you get away from everything else, away from the crowds, just a down-to-earth guy, all-American boy," Doc Medek said.
Doc and Chewy played Toby Keith's hits all morning—20 songs that hit the top of the Billboard Country Music chart. Both will remember Keith for what you didn't hear and possibly didn't know.
"He was there to help anybody—fire victims that loved his music, people that didn't love his music, he did it, state police, soldiers, incredible guy," said Sean "Chewy" Medek.
"We had some people who were listeners, 'I'm trying to go to the show.' Word would get around, 'Bring them backstage. I want to meet them.' That's what he was all about," Doc recalled.
It was that everyman quality, that regular guy thing, that resonated with audiences here and around the world. Keith was known for reaching out to soldiers, veterans, police officers, first responders, men and women in any uniform, and anyone who needed help.
Toby Keith is gone, and Chewy feels his music will be on the radio for a very long time.
"Incredible music, incredible person," Chewy said. "There is nothing he did that didn't stand out."
It's not just the tunes; it's the words. Keith was quoted as saying songwriting was the most important part of the industry.
Toby Keith was 62 years old.