Toby Keith Gives the Fans What They Want, Releases “Don’t Let the Old Man In” to Country Radio

Toby Keith’s “Don’t Let the Old Man In” has seen a resurgence in popularity in recent weeks. As a result, he has decided to give his fans what they want and send the song to country radio.

The Oklahoma native took to social media to make the announcement. “’Don’t Let the Old Man In’ is a special song for me, and you guys have made it clear in the last few weeks that it’s special to you too,” he wrote. “Due to incredible demand, it’s headed to country radio five years after release. Boom. Thank you,” he added.

The song originally appeared in the Clint Eastwood film Mule (2018). Additionally, Keith released it as the first single from his 2019 album Greatest Hits: The Show Dog Years.

Last month, Keith received the Country Icon Award at the People’s Choice Country Awards. Moments after getting the award, he took the stage for an emotional performance of “Don’t Let the Old Man In.”

The song resonated deeply with his fans. After his People’s Choice Country Awards performance, the song regained popularity. Earlier this month, the song climbed 10 spots to No. 1 on the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales chart. Additionally, it landed at No. 3 on the all-genre Digital Song Sales chart, climbing 16 spots from No. 19.

Keith received a stomach cancer diagnosis in 2021. As a result, he cleared his touring schedule to focus on fighting the disease. Earlier this week, he declared his return to the stage with a pair of shows in Las Vegas. The next day, he announced that he would send the song to country radio.

He noted in the post that the song is special to him. The ballad is about accepting one’s mortality while doing everything to stave off death. After his cancer diagnosis, it is easy to see why the song carries a little more weight for Keith. Getting bad news like that can make one realize that they’re living on borrowed time. At the same time, Keith put his career on hold to get treatment for the disease and spend time with his family. In short, he’s been doing all he can to avoid letting “the old man” in.

Photo by Rick Kern/Getty Images for iHeartMedia