Outspoken Toby Keith Shakes Up Industry

AP (via Yahoo) ^ | 5/16/2005 | John Gerome

[texasbluebell]

Ohhhhh yeahh....

[texasbluebell]

If any of you get Sirius satellite radio -- It's all recorded I'm sure, since he's on his tour in the ME now. Playing the new songs now and then, plus some of his older stuff.

TOBY KEITH TO BE A DJ ALL DAY ON RELEASE DATE, MAY 17

"Toby Radio" on SIRIUS will also feature tracks from his brand new album, Honkytonk University

Toby Keith will exchange his cowboy hat for a set of headphones when he becomes a DJ on SIRIUS Satellite Radio all day Tuesday, May 17th.

From 6am to 12 midnight ET, Toby Keith will be the sole host of SIRIUS commercial-free country music channel 31, New Country. During that time, he'll play whatever music he wants. He will also play a song an hour from his new album being released that day on DreamWorks, Honkytonk University.

"The greatest way to create attention for a new album is to find new formats to be creative in and obviously satellite radio has become a big player in the industry," said Keith. "For them to let me play some of my all-time favorite cuts is a great opportunity to show my personality for a whole entire day." (from CMT)

[Kryptonite]

"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."

Another fine example of how Toby deftly defends himself with his own brand of grace. I remember when the Dixie Twits bruhaha boiled up and how Toby Keith just killed them with charm and a smile, while never going anywhere near over the top.

He doesn't shake up the industry as much as dominate it.

[Mind-numbed Robot]

I have been a life long fan of country music. I grew up in Mississippi and as a kid in the forties and at home the radio was always on a country station. That was the era of Hank Williams, Sr., Earnest Tubb, Roy Acuff, Eddie Arnold, Kitty Wells, Hank Snow, Little Jimmie Dickens, Bill Monroe and the Blue Grass Boys, Bob Wills, etc. I had a good grounding in country music.

I then moved to Louisiana and have spent the last forties years in Texas. I remember the early Willie Nelson music and in Texas I knew a lot of Willie fans that followed him everywhere although I never met Willie. I was never a concert goer. I was, however, a big fan of Willie.

Since I live in Dallas I knew of the Dixie Chicks before they became famous. I was very happy for them when they made it big and I did like their music.

That is why I was so disappointed when they and Willie turned out to be supporters of liberal causes. I am not talking about being a Democrat, I know hundreds of old time conservative Democrats, I am talking about liberal. As a result I still listen to their music when it comes on the radio but I will not support them in anyway, financial or as a fan.

I knew that Jane Fonda had implications I did not intend, I almost said Barbra Streisand, but her name popped in my mind first so I went with it.

[MozartLover]

The first time I heard Toby Keith's music was at my son's graduation from boot camp. They played "American Soldier" and "Courtesy Of The Red White & Blue" while showing videos of our troops doing what they do best.

Hooked ever since.

[texasbluebell]

Just found this link again to the CMT page that lets you listen to all the songs on his new cd -- just click on the little red speaker to the right of each song:

http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/keith_toby/879698/album.jhtml

[backhoe]

Scoop Jackson, how I admired him in my early years. He was one of the last of the great old-style dems, wasn't he? Those days are sadly gone.

Scoop was a fine man- the good old-time democrats were people you might disagree with on some points, but you wouldn't mind having them as friends or neighbors. Most of the newer ones I would not trust with my wife, my wallet, or my dog.

[najida]

Count me in as a relatively new country fan too.

Lots of reasons--- but I've found that while the music is OK, it's the lyrics that always grab me.

Like Trace Akins said the "songs about me".

[texasbluebell]

Yes, you could trust most of them with anything.

Another is Zell Miller, but after him, I can't think of any others in politics.

A dying breed.

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

I just love his tight levi's music. (blush)

I saw him play here last summer and am hoping we are on his concert lineup again this summer.

[HamiltonJay]

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.

He's right the title track of this CD sucks.... Not remotely his better work.. first time I heard it, I asked my wife.. why the hell did they release that as their debut single for the new album? It sucks..... Guess I know now why.

[texasbluebell]

Yeah, I love his, um, music too...

Here's a link to some of his concert dates, not sure how complete it is.

http://tobykeith.musiccitynetworks.com/?id=605&loc=6

and one more:

http://www.cmt.com/artists/az/keith_toby/tours.jhtml

[smiley]

Libs hate Toby Keith...which is why we LOVE him!

[normy]

The truth is, if Toby goes after artist who write their own music, he will do great. I used to listen to country all the time, but most of what is out today is made for video and George Strait type guys get pushed out. Sure Alan Jackson and George Strait along with Keith get played, but I have to wade through 15 crappy songs by a bunch of phonies.

Give me stuff like Pat Green and Jerry Jeff Walker heck even guys like Dwight Yoakum and Randy Travis sang great country. This new stuff suuuuuuuuucks!

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

*sigh*

His tour dates have are staying pretty consistant so far and I'm guessing the closest he gets to Albuquerque *this* year will be Phoenix.

/pouts>

[Sweet_Sunflower29]

Give me stuff like Pat Green and Jerry Jeff Walker heck even guys like Dwight Yoakum and Randy Travis sang great country. This new stuff suuuuuuuuucks!

Lol... you sound a lot like my husband.

He likes Pat Green (and Big and Rich), but prefers the 'classic' country; Glenn Campbell, Merle Haggard, Waylon & Willie, Marty Robbins, David Alan Coe and Hank Williams are among his favorites.

You know, I have no idea why I even mentioned that... maybe I'm guessing you wouldn't sleep tonight w/out knowing his favorite country artists... ?

*
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/shakes head and quietly_slinks_away>

[texasbluebell]

Sounds like it's time for a little

[ArmyBratproud]

The reality of it is......Conservative Democrats is what much of the Republican party is these days.

They don't exist in the Democrat party. They actually see more logic in the GOP.

For many of them its a......"always been a democrat and don't want to have to change a title" thing.

The vote for a lot of republicans and move on.

Now I know some Okies who are not pleased with the guy Keith campaigned for in OK for Gov..........but I'm sure they move on.

[cicero's_son]

TK is an a-hole, imo. He strikes me as a self-absorbed poser who's just cashing in on the wave of patriotism that swept the country after 9-11. His songs are pure hokum, with lyrics that practically read as satire of "good ol' patriotic 'mericans."

He's the musical equivalent of Sean Hannity, which is probably why the two of them seem to get along so well.

[ArmyBratproud]

I like Toby....

but the stuff coming out of Nashville these days.....aint country.

His new CD is more country than the rest of the stuff coming out of there combined.


I'll stick with Cory Morrow, Gary P Nunn, Brian Burns, Max Stallings, Ed Burleson.....George Straight will do.

And...oh yeah...Asleep at the Wheel. I will see them live at West Fest this summer.