Posted on 05/16/2005 9:42:16 PM PDT by andie74
NASHVILLE, Tenn. - He's tangled with Peter Jennings and the Dixie Chicks over his music, criticized the media for its coverage of the Iraq war, tweaked the Country Music Association over awards snubs and threatened to flee his record label.
Keith was at the Country Music Television offices last week to promote "Honkytonk University," his new CD out Tuesday, the same day he's up for the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year award.
At 6-foot-4, the former oil field worker, rodeo hand and semipro football player doesn't so much enter an office as take it over. He's candid and talkative and doesn't seem to mind stepping on toes — anyone's.
This day, he's still sore about a February report in Rolling Stone magazine that referred to him as "the king of ultra-patriotic country" and said his 2004 concert tour — which brought in $27.7 million, second only to Shania Twain in country music — earned "mostly red state dollars."
"The truth is — and we looked it up — we made a lot more money in the blue states," says Keith, 43, wearing a weathered straw cowboy hat and yellow Western shirt. "We did more shows in the red states, but we made a lot more cash in the blue states."
Keith feels he's been unfairly portrayed by the media and his critics as a hardcore right winger. While he's backed the American troops in his songs and supported President Bush's re-election, he describes himself as a conservative Democrat who doesn't always agree with the administration.
Back in Oklahoma where he and his wife of 21 years, Tricia, live with their three children, he's campaigned for Democratic candidates including Gov. Brad Henry.
"I get brushed with this big, gigantic red, white and blue brush. But I don't mind," he says. "I look good in red, white and blue."
Keith's star shines brighter than most country artists, and he'll be the first to tell you so. He's sold about 25 million albums with a sound rooted in the whiskey halls and beer joints of the Southwest.
Unlike most his peers, he writes just about everything he records. He says he can't imagine sifting through hundreds of songs to find a dozen or so that he likes and that reflect his personality. His hits include the hawkish anthem "Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue (The Angry American)" — a song inspired by his father's death in a car accident in 2000 as well the 9-11 terrorist attacks — the boozy "I Love This Bar," the patriotic "American Soldier" and the chest-thumping "How Do You Like Me Now?"
The new album, "Honkytonk University," has a harder country edge. There's an old-school duet with his musical hero Merle Haggard, "She Ain't Hooked on Me No More," and a mid-tempo tune called "Big Blue Note" about a guy who finally comes to peace with a Dear John letter. The second single, "As Good As I Once Was," is a rumination on growing older and wiser.
The release of that single symbolizes Keith's frustration with his record company.
He left Mercury Records in 1999 because he was upset with the way his music was being handled. He went to DreamWorks, then an independent label, and became a superstar. Last year Dreamworks was acquired by Universal Music Group Nashville, which has Mercury under its umbrella.
"As fate would have it, in the end the little independent label I'm on that's $27 million in the hole when I walk in and it sells for $100 million four years later because of what we accomplish — who do they sell to? I go right back to the hell hole I was in at first."
Keith said he approached things with an open mind but ran into trouble with the single. He wanted "As Good As I Once Was" to be the first one for radio; the folks at Universal, he says, thought it was too risky and chose the title cut.
"I had put out four or five albums without one A&R meeting. We put out what we wanted and it worked. So why would I have to change?" he says. "At this point in my career I'm not going to put up with it."
While he won't rule out a distribution deal with the music giant, Keith said, "Universal knows where they stand. I've got one more album (to fulfill his contract). After that, the next album is going to be on my label — period."
Universal Music Group Nashville declined to comment Monday, but Billboard magazine reported that at the March radio industry conference where Keith made his remarks, UMGN co-chairman Luke Lewis said, "To (Keith) I say, 'Good luck.' The track record of artists running record labels is not that good."
Asked last week about Lewis' comment, Keith quipped, "Ask him if he wants to bet paychecks."
By starting his own label, Keith wants to move closer to the business side of music and, perhaps, farther from the artist side. He says he'll focus on signing songwriters, whom he believes are the forgotten backbone of country music.
"I'm trying to bring the song back and make songwriters into artists more so," he said. "The industry has forgot the song itself. They try to find the song and then attach it to a pretty face so it works on video."
What you probably won't find Keith doing, despite his strong opinions, is entering politics.
"I couldn't tick off the line. My dad called it 'glad-handing' — walk up and smile and shake their hand whether you like them or not. If I don't like you, I don't like you. I don't want to come up and shake your hand."
Count me among the new fans of country music.
My music has always been AC/DC, the Stones, Thorogood, and the like. But something in just the last couple of years has been drawing me more and more toward country. I cain't 'splain it. But I'm liking it more and more.
I don't blame ya. Old army cadence- " Oh misery, oh misery- look what the blues- have done ta me- Oh misery, oh misery..." Come on, bad dad...lift your heart and your azz will follow.
It's got to have 'twang....
My List
Under an old brass paperweight is my list of things to do today
Go to the bank and the hardware store, put a new lock on the cellar door
I cross 'em off as I get 'em done but when the sun is set
There's still more than a few things left I haven't got to yet
Go for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It's time that I make time for that
Wade the shore and cast a line
Pick up a long lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin', that's the next thing on my list
Wouldn't change the course of fate but cuttin' the grass just had to wait
'Cause I've bot more important things like pushin' my kid on the backyard swing
I won't break my back for a million bucks I can't take to my grave
So why put off for tomorrow what I could get done today
Like go for a walk, say a little prayer
Take a deep breath of mountain air
Put on my glove and play some catch
It's time that I make time for that
Wade the shore and cast a line
Pick up a long lost friend of mine
Sit on the porch and give my girl a kiss
Start livin', that's the next thing on my list
Raise a little hell, laugh 'til it hurts
Put an extra five in the plate at church
Call up my folks just to chat
It's time that I make time for that
Stay up late, then oversleep
Show her what she means to me
Catch up on all the things I've always missed
Just start livin', that's the next thing on my list
Under an old brass paperweight
Is my list of things to do today
Toby Keith will be having a concert for the USO in Mannheim (about 20 minutes from where I am) this Sunday. I can't wait!
Can't wait to get his new cd, coming out tomorrow.
Some great songs on it. Heard a few of them the other day on one of the country websites, he says it's his most country album maybe ever.
If you want to have fun tomorrow night, tune into the awards show (unfortunately on cbs -- but it's about the only time I would ever tune them in).
Toby will be playing live on satellite while on his tour for the troops from over in Iraq/Afghanistan.
Lucky you!
No kiddin'! Good for you! Thanks for your service, frankiep!
Toby on one of his previous USO tours. I think you're in for a treat.
(If you get a chance, report back on how the concert was!)
I'll do that. I'll also try to take some pics.
Wow, that would be great to see photos if you get a chance!
Enjoy yourself! You all deserve it!
Well, now the new band Sugarland has me crazy about country again. Their first hit video, Baby Girl, has climbed all the way to #1 on CMT.
We're just hours away from the primetime Academy of Country Music Awards telecast on CBS. Check your local listings for Tuesday, May 17th. An all-star lineup is expected to be there, including Sugarland, Toby Keith, Sara Evans, Montgomery Gentry, Big & Rich, Reba, etc.
I was disappointed to learn that Willie is almost as liberal as Jane Fonda. It may have had something to do with Clinton's IRS suing him for $16 mil in back taxes.
Oh my gosh, I don't know.
I'll have to see, maybe there will be a simulcast on one of the country channels, but I haven't heard that mentioned.
Only that it's on cbs, unfortunately.
If I find anything else, I'll ping you!
This link
http://www.cmt.com/music/events/acm/2005/
has a connecting link to "radio" so they might be planning on playing it tomorrow night.
Not sure. But worth keeping in mind.
I like his music, but not so much his voice. He sounds like a goat singing through a box fan. But I like him. And Shania doesn't do country music. She's pop sung with the aid of electronic pitch enhancers. Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel told me that.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.