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."
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)
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.
Hooked ever since.
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
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.
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".
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.
"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.
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
Libs hate Toby Keith...which is why we LOVE him!
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!
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.
He's the musical equivalent of Sean Hannity, which is probably why the two of them seem to get along so well.
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.
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