Krystal Keith says that listening to her dad Toby Keith's music "constantly" helps her "hold onto gratitude" (Exclusive).

 

Tonight, NBC will air the tribute concert special Toby Keith: American Icon, featuring an emotional performance by Krystal Keith, daughter of the late country legend. Krystal will perform her father’s poignant song “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” alongside stars like Carrie Underwood and Luke Bryan. She admits that deciding to participate was a difficult choice, and selecting the song proved challenging as well.

“I was thinking, ‘I can handle a party song,’” Krystal recalls. “But when [producers] suggested ‘Don’t Let the Old Man In,’ I thought, ‘Oh no, I already cry just listening to it. How am I going to sing it?’” Despite her reservations, she’s pleased with how the performance turned out and believes her father would be proud.

Toby Keith, who passed away in February at age 62 from stomach cancer, had a family that made him proud: Krystal, 38, her sister Shelley, 44, her brother Stelen, 27, and his wife of 40 years, Tricia.

The concert special, filmed at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, will also feature performances from Underwood, Bryan, Eric Church, Ashley McBryde, Lainey Wilson, Darius Rucker, and more, all delivering their own renditions of Keith’s biggest hits.

Krystal acknowledges that while the tribute concert came sooner than her family had hoped, it reflects her father’s essence, featuring elements he cherished: his family, his foundation, his music, and the military.

“He was a humble man who wouldn’t want such a grand event for himself,” she says. “But he would be honored by the effort and the kind words from those artists.”

Krystal finds comfort in her father’s extensive body of work, sharing that she and her daughters, Kirby and Hensley, listen to his music regularly to feel close to him. She recalls Ashley Campbell’s perspective on the legacy of Glen Campbell’s music and finds solace in the songs and memories left behind.

A portion of the concert’s ticket sales will support The Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral and Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, honoring Toby’s commitment to helping others.

Krystal misses her father deeply, often reflecting on his favorite small-town dive bars and the advice he’d give. She finds solace in knowing her family is supporting each other and feels confident that her father would be reassured to know they’re doing well.

“I’d tell him that we’re all going to be OK,” Krystal says. “I think he knew that, but it would be comforting for him to hear it.”