Ella Langley Breathes New Life Into Toby Keith’s Classic “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” With Surprise Release

Ella Langley Honors Toby Keith’s Legacy

Rising country star Ella Langley is paying tribute to one of her greatest inspirations, the late Toby Keith.

The Alabama-born artist has had a meteoric rise since releasing her 2024 debut album Hungover. Already a four-time ACM Award winner, she heads into the 2025 CMA Awards tied for the most nominations of any artist.

Earlier this year, she joined a group of artists—including Megan Moroney, Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Tucker Wetmore, and Ashley McBryde—in honoring Keith with a collection of exclusive Apple Music covers.

Covering “Wish I Didn’t Know Now”

For her contribution, Langley recorded Keith’s 1994 hit “Wish I Didn’t Know Now,” originally released as the final single from his debut album. Written by Keith himself, the song climbed to No. 2 on the U.S. Hot Country Songs chart and was later certified gold by the RIAA.

Sharing her admiration for Keith, Langley wrote:

“I think that’s what it takes to be an artist like Toby Keith: giving your all, letting your fans in, and seeing who you are as a human being. Whether it was through being onstage or being in a writers’ room, he just told the truth and was honest about what he believed in. It’s inspiring.”

A Surprise Release for Fans

On September 30, Langley surprised fans by releasing her version of “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” on all streaming platforms. The move followed months of fan requests for her to make the cover available more widely.

Fans React with Praise

The response was immediate and overwhelmingly positive.

“You absolutely made that song like it’s brand new again. Love it!” wrote one fan.

Another commented, “Thank you for honoring Toby in such a beautiful way. Your version of his song is amazing.”

With her heartfelt tribute, Langley continues to carry Toby Keith’s spirit forward—while cementing her own place as one of country music’s most exciting new voices.