Toby Keith’s Daughter Krystal Honors Him With “Don’t Let The Old Man In” Cover At Tribute Concert
A long-awaited Toby Keith tribute concert took place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville Monday night, July 29.
The star-studded event, Toby Keith: American Icon, brought together some of Music City’s biggest names to raise money for The Toby Keith Foundation which funds his OK Kids Corral.
Each performance honored the legacy of Toby Keith who died in February 2024 after a valiant battle with stomach cancer. But, perhaps the most poignant tribute performance came from Toby’s daughter, Krystal. Krystal took the stage to perform “Don’t Let The Old Man In,” a song that marked a huge moment in her father’s career.
Toby Keith wrote the song for Clint Eastwood’s 2018 film The Mule, but the poignant song would become one of his signature tunes. In September 2023, Keith took the stage at the first-ever People’s Choice Country Awards to sing “Don’t Let The Old Man In.” The performance marked Toby’s first televised performance since his cancer diagnosis.
Fans noticed that Toby looked frail and many thought that it may be the last live performance of Toby’s career. But the singer fought back and treated fans to several more live performances, including a brief Las Vegas residency in December before he passed away in February.
Toby Keith: American Icon will air in-full as a two-hour event on NBC on Wednesday, August 28.
The tribute concert is the latest in a series of events honoring the late country music legend. Keith has been honored with performances at the CMT Music Awards, the ACM Awards, and with an honorary degree from the University of Oklahoma. Just before he died he found out that he would become a member of the 2024 class of the Country Music Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, he passed away before accepting the honor. His family is expected to accept on his behalf during a formal induction ceremony this fall.
Watch Krystal Keith’s emotional tribute performance in honor of her late father in the video below.