On February 5, 2024, legendary country singer Toby Keith died after battling stomach cancer for two years. His death left many fans heartbroken, especially after learning some particularly saddening details that involve his passing.

Today, March 18, at a press event unveiling the Country Music Hall of Fame inductees, it was disclosed that Toby Keith had been chosen for induction into the Class of 2024.

The induction process for the Country Music Hall of Fame 2024 Class began last year, with the distribution of a preliminary ballot of potential inductees to Hall of Fame voters before Christmas. This was followed by the final ballot, which opened and closed in February. Despite the institution’s regulation prohibiting artists from being inducted in the same year as their passing, Toby Keith remained eligible due to the timing of the voting process.

Sarah Trahern, CEO of the Country Music Association, clarified that the final votes for induction had been cast just before Toby Keith’s passing, with the plan to announce the inductees on February 6th. However, that morning brought the tragic news of Toby Keith’s death instead.

During the press event, Trahern stated, “This year we anticipated receiving the names of our final inductees on Tuesday, Feb. 6th. As we know now, we woke up that morning to the heartbreaking news that our friend Toby Keith had lost his long battle with stomach cancer.”

Toby Keith’s death, occurring just a day before he was scheduled to receive one of country music’s most prestigious honors, added an extra layer of sadness to the already tragic event.

The Hall of Fame team only learned of his selection a few hours after his passing. Toby Keith had been chosen to join the Hall of Fame in the Modern Era category, yet he never got the chance to know about this significant recognition himself, passing away just one day before what would have been a major milestone in his career.

“My heart sank that afternoon knowing that we had missed the opportunity to inform Toby while he was still with us,” Trahern added. “But I have no doubt that he is smiling down on us knowing that he will alway be ‘as good as he once was.’”

Listen to his music: