
Eric Church Honors Toby Keith With “Don’t Let The Old Man In” During Country Music Hall Of Fame Induction
Toby Keith Was Posthumously Inducted Into The Country Music Hall Of Fame On October 20
Eric Church was one of the artists who honored the late Toby Keith upon his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame.
The CMHOF formally inducted Keith, John Anderson, and James Burton during a Medallion Ceremony on Sunday (October 20). Keith joined the HOF as this year’s “Modern Era” inductee.
To avoid sympathy votes, the CMHOF has a rule that prevents artists from being inducted the same year as their death. But in Keith’s case, the final ballots were cast and counted before his death.
However, Keith sadly never got the chance to know he’d been chosen for induction into the CMHOF. They planned to inform the inductees on February 6. Instead, everyone woke up that morning to the news that Keith had passed away the day prior (February 5) following his years-long battle with stomach cancer.
“My heart sank that afternoon knowing that we had missed the opportunity to inform Toby while he was still with us,” said Sarah Trahern, the CEO of the Country Music Association. “But I have no doubt that he is smiling down on us knowing that he will alway be ‘as good as he once was.’”
Eric Church Sings Toby Keith’s “Don’t Let The Old Man In” During The Country Music Hall Of Fame’s Medallion Ceremony
Several artists paid tribute to Keith during the CMHOF’s Medallion Ceremony on Sunday. Eric Church delivered one of the most moving performances as he sang Keith’s “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”
Keith wrote “Don’t Let the Old Man In” following a conversation with Clint Eastwood about aging. He sent the song to Eastwood, who loved it and featured it in his 2018 film, The Mule.
“Don’t Let the Old Man In” was the song Keith performed upon accepting the Country Icon Award at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards. It ended up being his final televised performance.
Church delivered a subdued yet powerful rendition of “Don’t Let the Old Man In” at the CMHOF’s Medallion Ceremony. It was a fitting tribute to Keith and surely touched all who watched it.
The video below contains a short clip of Church singing “Don’t Let the Old Man In” at the ceremony. The video opens with another clip of Blake Shelton singing Keith’s “I Love This Bar” before switching to Church’s tribute.
@musicmayhemmagazine.com @Blake Shelton, @Eric Church and @Post Malone paid tribute to the late @Toby Keith during the “Class of 2024” Country Music Hall Of Fame Medallion, where Keith was posthumously inducted as the 155th member of the Country Music Hall of Fame. #BlakeShelton #EricChurch #PostMalone #TobyKeith #CountryMusic #CountryMusicHallOfFame #HallOfFame #Nashville #MusicCity #Nash #TobyKeithTribute #Tribute #tobykeithofficial #countrysinger #singer #livemusic #countrycover #coversong #cover #country #dontlettheoldmanin #ilovethisbar #redsolocup ♬ original sound – Music Mayhem
Source: classiccountrymusic.com