Posted on 06/14/2002 9:07:33 AM PDT by SantosLHalper
(6/13/02, 4 p.m. ET) - Toby Keith was asked to perform his current bold and not-so-politically correct hit "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" on an upcoming ABC Fourth of July TV special in Salt Lake City hosted by ABC's own Peter Jennings. The deal fell through and according to Keith, it was Jennings himself who pulled the plug on the singer's performance.
He told LAUNCH: "The person with ABC who books it said, 'You're on, we want you to open the show with that song.' Fine, we made arrangements to be there. Got everything off the next day where we were doing two shows that day now, so we took the next day or two off. And Peter Jennings comes in and says that that song has lyric content that does not belong on his television network. So, I've been kicked off the special."
So what was Keith's reaction to Jennings's objection to his performing? "I think he's Canadian ain't he? So, It's our Fourth of July, not his. Tell him worry 'bout his and I won't come up there and sing at it either. But I will write him a new song."
Keith's "Courtesy Of The Red, White And Blue (The Angry American)" is the singer's fastest rising-single to date. It currently sits at Number 12 this week on Billboard's Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart.
Keith wrote the song in the aftermath of the September 11 tragedies and the death of his father, who fought for the U.S. in the Army and lost his right eye.
--Nancy Brooks, Nashville
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