John Foster Respectfully Sings “Don’t Let The Old Man In” For Toby Keith’s Wife & Daughter
John Foster performed an acoustic cover of "Don't Let the Old Man In" for Toby Keith's wife and daughter, Tricia Covel and Krystal Keith. (Photo Credit: Jerry Broeckert / YouTube)
American Idol Runner-Up John Foster Pays Respect To Toby Keith
During the American Idol finale in May 2025, contestant John Foster tipped his hat to the late Toby Keith by singing his patriotic hit “Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue.” John came in second place that season, which helped catapult his country music career.
The 19-year-old singer made his Grand Ole Opry debut in June. He’s performed there several times since, and continued to play shows across the U.S.
More recently, John traveled to Oklahoma to perform at the Toby Keith Foundation’s Schooner Fall Classic. The multi-day event welcomed over a dozen women’s collegiate golf teams to the Belmar Golf Club in Norman, Oklahoma.
Proceeds from the event benefited the Toby Keith Foundation’s OK Kids Korral. The Korral serves as a home-away-from-home for pediatric cancer patients and their families while the child undergoes treatment.
Before singing at the Schooner Fall Classic on September 19, John Foster stopped at Toby Keith’s burial site to pay his respects. John shared a few pictures of Toby’s gravestone, which features a beautiful image of him and Tricia and an engraving that makes it appear like an American flag has been draped on top of the stone.
“It’s an absolute honor to take the stage tonight in Norman, OK for Toby Keith’s amazing foundation. We were also honored to spend a quiet moment at the legend’s resting place—a reminder of the incredible legacy he left behind,” John captioned the photos he shared.
The Reason Why “Don’t Let The Old Man In” Is One Of The Most Meaningful Songs In Toby Keith’s Catalog
John also honored Toby by singing one of his most meaningful songs, “Don’t Let the Old Man In,” for Toby’s wife, Tricia, and daughter, Krystal. Gaylen Martin captured the intimate tribute, and Jerry Broeckert shared the video on YouTube.
Before he started singing, John shared how he felt drawn to “Don’t Let the Old Man In” when he first heard it, calling it “powerful.”
From there, John moved into his tender, acoustic cover. Tricia and Krystal appeared emotional as they lowered their heads and listened to John sing.
They applauded John after his performance, and Tricia told him he did a good job. We have a feeling Toby would be proud of his cover, too.
Watch John Foster sing “Don’t Let the Old Man In” for Toby Keith’s wife and daughter in the video below.
Toby famously wrote “Don’t Let the Old Man In” following a conversation with Clint Eastwood. After asking Eastwood how he had so much energy at his then-age of 88, Clint responded, “I don’t let the old man in.”
From that conversation, a song was born. Clint featured “Don’t Let the Old Man In” in his 2018 film The Mule.
In September 2024, the People’s Choice Country Awards recognized Toby with the Country Icon Award. He performed “Don’t Let the Old Man In” during the show, with the lyrics taking on a new meaning in light of his 2021 diagnosis with stomach cancer.
Toby died five months later. His performance of “Don’t Let The Old Man In” during the PCCAs was his last televised performance. Watch that heart-tugging moment below.
