On July 29, Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena hosted a packed house for the recording of Toby Keith: American Icon, a network television special honoring the late country music star.

The concert featured an impressive lineup of country music stars, including Luke Bryan, Carrie Underwood, Eric Church, Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson, and many more. Toby’s daughter, Krystal Keith, also bravely performed “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” a song that’s become even more meaningful since her father’s death. You can watch her moving rendition in the video below.

Fun fact: Krystal Keith wore one of her dad’s black cowboy hats during her performance to have “a part of him with [her].”

 

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Krystal not only performed herself at the show but also recently shared exclusive insights about it.

During a phone interview with The Oklahoman, Krystal provided a sneak peek into what viewers can anticipate from the upcoming TV tribute to her father.

When asked if she thought the crowd came to honor her dad, Krystal said the event was more like a fun party than a sad gathering, just as her dad would have wanted.

“I think everyone knows that anything related to my dad is going to be a fun time and going to be a party,” she shared. “So, that was what this was. It was a celebration. We didn’t want it to be sad.”

She expressed that the fans’ love for her dad’s music deeply touched her.

Krystal noticed, “Every shot of the audience, they’re singing everything word for word.” She was glad to see so many longtime fans there, saying, “Those people were true fans, and so it was really cool to get the opportunity to celebrate him with people that have gone to his shows for 35 years…It was really cool to feel that love and feel that energy.”

Krystal also shared how touched she was by how many different country singers came to honor her dad. It showed her how much he meant to people in country music, both the famous ones and the new ones just starting out.

“When you see the show, a lot of the artists came out and talked about what my dad meant to them. They told stories about meeting him or how he helped them. That was really special for me,” Krystal said.

It turns out it was pretty simple to decide which of Toby’s great songs each artist would sing for the tribute concert.

Krystal revealed, “They asked each artist, ‘What song would you like to sing?’ The artists got to pick the song that meant the most to them, as long as someone else hadn’t already chosen it.”

She said that she liked how each artist chose a song that was special to them. It made the tribute more personal and showed how her dad’s music touched different people in different ways.

The show also features a military tribute with the Honor Guard and U.S. Army Band.

“You can’t have a Toby Keith-themed show without having military components and having the military respected and honored and involved.”

The Toby Keith: American Icon tribute show will air in its entirety on NBC on Wednesday, August 28, at 8 pm. If you can’t catch it live, don’t worry – the full two-hour special will be available to stream on Peacock the next day.