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Toby Keith and Tricia Lucus had a country love story for the books.

The “I Love This Bar” singer and Lucus met shortly after Keith graduated from high school. At the time, he was working in the oil fields and playing bars at night. The couple dated for three years, married in 1984 and welcomed two children.

Sadly, Keith, who was diagnosed with stomach cancer in the fall of 2021, died in February 2024. He was 62.

"Toby Keith passed peacefully last night on Feb. 5, surrounded by his family," a statement from the "Red Solo Cup" singer's family read. “He fought his fight with grace and courage." 

So, who is Toby Keith’s wife? Here’s everything to know about Tricia Lucus and her relationship with the country singer.

She and Keith met at a local bar

After graduating from high school in 1979, Keith took a job as an oil field worker, just like his father, doing “typical roughneck stuff" and making $50,000 per year.

Keith also played and sang at local bars with his band called the Easy Money Band, which performed Alabama-style country-rock when he wasn’t working. It was during this time that he met Lucus, who was working as an oil company secretary at the time.

“I was 19 and he was 20,” she told PEOPLE in 2001. “He was just one of those larger-than-life guys, full of confidence.”

She and Keith got married in 1984

The couple dated for three years before they decided to get married in 1984.

Keith celebrated the couple’s 39th wedding anniversary on Instagram in 2023, sharing an old photo of the couple to commemorate the special day.

She has three children

Lucus is a mom to three children. She had her first daughter, Shelley Covel Rowland in 1980, before meeting Keith. After they married, Keith adopted Shelley, and the couple went on to have two more children: daughter Krystal in 1985 and son Stelen in 1997.

Krystal is a musician and recording artist, just like her dad. She is married to her husband, Drew, and they have two daughters together: Kirby and Hensley.

Stelen, meanwhile, is an entrepreneur, involved with numerous businesses, including, Sellout Crowd, 405 Burger Bar, Tequila Chulos and Hollywood Corners. He is married to his wife Haley, a travel advisor, and they have a Siberian Husky named Dodger.

The family supported Keith as he received the BMI Icon Award in November 2022, with Stelen sharing a behind-the-scenes video on Instagram of them celebrating together.

She supported Keith's career early on

Keith revealed that when “the oil fields went bust. I started concentrating on my music.”

He and his band began playing regional gigs full-time, while he and Tricia juggled creditors and raised a family.

"Dozens of people told Tricia, ‘You need to go tell your old man to get a real job,’ ” Keith told Country Weekly, per The Boot. “It took a strong-hearted and loving woman to say, ‘He’s good enough at music that I’ve got to let him try. And it’ll be a great shot for both of us if he can make it work.’ ”

He added, “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.”

She thought Keith was charming

Back in 1991, Lucus told PEOPLE 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 shared. “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.’ ”

She supported Keith at awards shows

Lucus supported Keith at countless awards shows and evenings of honor over the years.

In September 2023, less than six months before Keith's death, Lucus attended the People's Choice Country Awards with her husband, where he accepted the Country Music Icon Award.

Keith's speech brought Lucus to tears after he thanked his family and “the almighty for allowing me to be here tonight. You've been riding shotgun with me for a little while."

She and Keith enjoyed playing golf

In their free time, the couple enjoyed playing golf, though Keith admitted they were not the best at the sport. Aside from playing, they also liked to be golf spectators.

She is a philanthropist

One cause dear to Lucus is children's cancer. In 2019, she and Keith were honored by the University of Oklahoma College of Medicine Alumni Association for their donations to The Children's Hospital and the OK Kids Korral — a lodging facility opened in 2014 by the Toby Keith Foundation for families with children in treatment for cancer, according to The Oklahoman.

Keith and Lucus started the Toby Keith Foundation in 2006 with the mission to help children and their families with cancer.

In a 2014 interview, Keith shared that the OK Kids Korral was a mix between “a Ritz Carlton and Disney.” Lucus added, “It gives me goosebumps thinking about it … one of the best things is when you go and see a smile on their face because they’re not at a hospital room.”

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