subscribe our channel to get daily Entertainment News what Toby Keith's devastating song don't let the old man in is really about how Clint Eastwood inspired Toby Keith's final hit during NBC's Toby Keith American Icon special country stars past and present will perform their favorite songs by the late Superstar Toby Keith in tribute we're revisiting some of his most beloved tracks right here to start one of Keith's final songs don't let the old man in which carried special meaning after he passed away in February 2024 from stomach cancer read details below to learn why the song is about Reckoning with mortality the line I knew all of my life slash that someday it would end shows that the singer is aware that he's near the end of his life but with whatever time he has left he's not going to just sit back and be a passive person or the old man version of himself he's going to get up and go outside SL don't let the old man in in 2018 the Hollywood Legend and the country rocker were sharing a golf cart when Eastwood mentioned he was about to start filming a new movie The Mule which he both starred in and directed impressed by his energy Eastwood was on the cusp of 88 at the time Keith asked for his secret he said I just get up every morning and go out and I don't let the old man in the musician recalled to billboard and I thought I'm writing that though he had a cold Keith recorded a demo and sent it to Eastwood who immediately wanted to use it in the movie illness and all Eastwood said I've got a spot in the movie and I'm putting it in there and then Warner Brothers called asking did I read the script before I wrote this song because it fits perfectly he wanted it sick and tired and dark like that Keith said Keith hadn't yet been diagnosed with stomach cancer when he wrote and recorded don't let the old man in which was a modest hit at first but the song took on more meaning after Keith went public with his cancer battle in 2021 in 2023 Keith performed the tune at the People's Choice Country Awards the response was overwhelming all the girls are going to cry but I've had so many guys go dude I bald my out Keith told Taste of Country about the performance we didn't design it for that things that are really really special just have to happen for a reason you can't plan if you knew how to pull that off every time you'd plan it that way there was no planning when Keith died 5 months later many of his songs re-entered the charts with don't let the old man in hitting number one on Country digital song sales per billboard