Toby Keith’s ‘Don’t Let The Old Man In’ Is Finally Getting Its Due
Toby Keith says everything is “trending well” following his live performance of “Don’t Let The Old Man In” at the 2023 People’s Choice Country Awards in September. The country superstar,…
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – NOVEMBER 08: Toby Keith performs onstage for the BMI Icon Award during the 2022 BMI Country Awards at BMI on November 08, 2022 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for BMI)
Toby Keith says everything is "trending well" following his live performance of "Don't Let The Old Man In" at the 2023 People's Choice Country Awards in September. The country superstar, who had taken a hiatus due to a battle with stomach cancer, says he had a rough two years. However, he's not allowing it to define his future.
RELATED: This Week’s Guest Host: Toby Keith
He wrote "Don't Let The Old Man In" back in 2018; the song has since taken on a whole new life. He said on Shawn Parr's Backstage Country that "Don't Let The Old Man In" featured in Clint Eastwood's 2018 film, The Mule, "didn't get its due" back then.
It all started on the golf course with a heartfelt conversation between Keith and Eastwood. The country hitmaker had one question for Eastwood, "What keeps you going?" Keith says of his response, "I try to get up every day and be productive my whole life and try not to let that old man get in."
"It got out. It's at the end of the movie, and I was honored for it to be in there," Keith tells Shawn Parr. "I didn't think it got its due. I thought it was words to live by. But little did I know that I was going to have to live those words in the next couple of years."
Eastwood had asked Keith for a recording of the song. Keith provided one, but noted that when he laid the track down, he had been sick. The vocal on the recording was not intended to be the final version. Fast forward to when Eastwood confirmed to him it would be in the movie, Keith wanted to "put a good vocal on it." Eastwood felt it was perfect as it was, saying, "Don't mess with it."
Click Here To Find Out Where To Listen
Eastwood's instincts were on point. But even he probably didn't anticipate that five years later, Keith's heartfelt ballad, "Don't Let The Old Man In," would get a second wind on country radio.
Click below to listen to "Don't Let The Old Man In," and check back all week long to see more from Toby Keith on Shawn Parr’s Backstage Country.
Country Music’s Richest Country Stars in 2023
The list of the wealthiest country music singers has been released by Ledger, and the top ten richest country stars are ones that have been around for a while. Also making a presence on the list are stars that have dabbled in more than country music, making a splash in Hollywood and other ventures that garner big money.
As the newcomers to wealth in country music build their empires with their cites set on being on this list in the future, we take a look at the richest country stars on the planet right now.
RELATED: Top 20 Female Country Singers Of All Time
10 - Luke Bryan - $160 Million
Kevin Winter/Getty ImagesLuke has sold over 80 million records worldwide. In addition to his musical career, Luke has his own bar in Nashville and is a judge on "American Idol."
9 - Alan Jackson - $160 Million
Frederick Breedon/Getty ImagesAlan has sold over 80 million albums. He also branched out into other business deals, such as deals at the Cracker Barrel restaurants, an endorsement for Ford Trucks, a sponsorship by NAPA Auto Parts, and more.
8 - Kenny Chesney - $180 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesKenny's album sales have reached over 30 million worldwide. He has 40 top-10 singles on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, received countless awards, and sells out stadiums across the country on tour. In 2015, Forbes estimated Kenny's annual income at $42 million.
7 - Tim McGraw - $200 Million
ason Kempin/Getty ImagesMcGraw has 16 studio albums, with "Not a Moment Too Soon" becoming one of the bestselling country albums ever. He married fellow country singer Faith Hill in 1996. McGraw and Hill went on tour together, which became one of the most successful tours in country music history. McGraw has also done a lot of acting in movies and most recently in the Paramount TV series "1883."
6 - Faith Hill- $200 Million
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesFaith has five Grammy Awards and sold over 40 million albums worldwide.
5 - George Strait - $300 Million
Ethan Miller/Getty ImagesThe King of Country Music is one of the bestselling musicians ever, with 13 multi-platinum records, 33 platinums, and 38 gold albums. His other businesses include being a spokesperson for the Wrangler National Patriot program for wounded veterans, and he even owns a Gulfstream G450 business jet company.
4 - Toby Keith- $370 Million
Christopher Polk/Getty ImagesToby's business ventures include his nationwide restaurant franchise "I Love This Bar & Grill" and his clothing line TK Steelman. He's introduced a new adult beverage called Wild Shot to his restaurants and has even co-founded a record label.
3 - Shania Twain - $410 Million
Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesShania is the sixth-bestselling female artist in the U.S. Along with many endorsements, she gives back to needy school children with her program "Shania Kids Can ." She also made tons of money from her residency at the Colosseum at Caesars Palace.
2 - Garth Brooks - $430 Million
Rick Diamond/Getty ImagesGarth has become the bestselling solo albums artist in the U.S. with 148 million sold, ahead of Elvis Presley. He's the only musician in music history to have seven diamond certified records, according to the RIAA. Brooks' other business ventures include his online music store, and his record label, Pearl Records.
1 - Dolly Parton - $675 Million
Ian Gavan/Getty ImagesDolly has 25 RIAA-certified multi-platinum, platinum, and gold records from her 63 studio albums. She also has dabbled in movies. She also owns her own theme park, Dollywood, in her native East Tennessee. She has 51 percent ownership of the park. Parton gets into another business venture almost daily, from writing books to makeup and perfume. She is constantly giving to her many charities.
