Ella Langley has finally given fans what they’ve been begging for — and it’s a release Toby Keith himself would’ve tipped his hat to.
On September 30, Langley officially dropped her full cover of “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” on all streaming platforms, ending months of nonstop fan requests. The Alabama powerhouse first performed the classic this summer during Apple Music Nashville Sessions: Toby Keith Covered, the tribute project honoring the country icon after his passing in February 2024. The lineup included heavyweights like Ashley McBryde, Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Parker McCollum, and Tucker Wetmore, but it was Langley’s rendition that instantly broke out and had fans demanding a wider release.
She kept them waiting for months — and now, the reward has arrived.
When Langley first opened up about the recording, she made clear why this was her pick from Toby’s catalog:
“I knew instantly that ‘Wish I Didn’t Know Now’ was the song I wanted to do. Toby is truly a legend, and getting to put my own spin on this classic was an incredible opportunity.”
Her version is gentler, smoother, and emotionally heavier in a way only a female voice can bring to the story. Whiskey Riff praised the recording as “remarkably smooth,” adding that hearing the lyrics from a woman’s perspective brings “considerable depth” to the heartbreak.
The original track was released in 1994 as the fourth single from Toby’s debut album. It climbed to No. 2 and went gold, and it has long been considered one of the most vulnerable, soul-baring moments in Toby’s entire catalog. Yes, he gave us the rowdy anthems — “Should’ve Been a Cowboy,” “As Good As I Once Was,” “I Love This Bar” — but “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” was always proof that Toby could write hurt just as well as he wrote hell-raising.
Langley understood that, and she leaned straight into its honesty.
Since the release, fans have flooded her socials with gratitude.
Comments read like tributes:
“You made that song feel brand new again.”
“Thank you for honoring Toby in such a beautiful way.”
“This version hits harder coming from you.”
Even Toby Keith’s longtime manager, TK Kimbrell, weighed in on the project, saying Toby would be proud of the “monster talent” who carried the song into a new era. That’s not a casual compliment — that’s a stamp of approval.
And the timing? Perfect.
Langley’s star is rising fast. Her 2024 debut album Hungover put her on the map, she’s tied for the most nominations at the 2025 CMA Awards, and she’s quickly becoming one of modern country’s most compelling new voices. Releasing this cover now feels intentional — a statement that she’s not running from country’s traditions. She’s embracing them, carrying the torch, and proving that honoring the legends can push a young artist even further forward.
Toby Keith was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 2024, and tributes have poured out since his passing. But this one hits different. Many artists have covered Toby’s songs — few have breathed new life into them. Langley didn’t just remake a classic. She recharged it.
Ella Langley didn’t simply sing a Toby Keith song.
She reminded everyone why country music still matters — truth, heartache, and a voice that can cut straight through you.
And now, “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” is ready to live again in earbuds, truck speakers, smoky bars, and neon glow across the country.