Toby Keith earned Country Music Hall of Fame vote 1 day after death
Newsy
Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern says she's sad to have missed the opportunity to inform the country star of the honor.
Country star Toby Keith, who died last month, is heading to the Country Music Hall of Fame.
In a ceremony announcing the inductees on Monday, Country Music Association CEO Sarah Trahern said results came in that Keith had been elected in the Modern Era category just hours after the world learned of his passing.
“We woke up that morning to the heartbreaking news that our friend Toby Keith had lost his long battle with stomach cancer,” Trahern said.
“My heart sank,” she said, “knowing that we missed the chance to inform Toby while he was still with us. But I have no doubt that he is smiling down on us, knowing that he’ll always be, — quote — ‘as good as he once was.’”
Trahern explained that election rules do not allow a person to be elected into the Country Music Hall of Fame in the year of their death, but said that rule did not apply to Keith, who had already been selected prior to his passing. Voting was closed on Feb. 2 and official results were tallied by Feb. 6, a day after the singer passed away.
