October 18, 2021, Issue 778
Recap: Country Radio Hall Inductions
“Radio is the house that built me,” said RJ Curtis during last week’s (10/13) Country Radio Hall of Fame Induction Dinner And Awards ceremony. “Everything I need to know, I learned working in a radio station with radio professionals.” The careers and contributions of the Class of 2021 were celebrated in a night as much about those who impacted the honorees — many of whom were in attendance — as the impact of the honorees themselves. The evening began with the “inevitable,” to quote CRB/ CRS Board Pres. Kurt Johnson, President’s Award recipient Beverlee Brannigan, whose speech progressed into a love letter to CRS, saying in part, “There is no other genre or format that has the kind of support system that CRS has grown into.” The biggest surprise of the night arrived early … steak! Instead of chicken! Also, Garth Brooks. The latter, suffering from a cold and doing his best Carole Baskin, made an argument for “cool cat” and CRB Artist Career Achievement Award winner Keith Urban. “Everyone that comes before you is a god, and everyone that comes after is a punk,” laughed Brooks, who would later join Urban and Trisha Yearwood for a performance of “Fishin’ In The Keith Urban, Trisha Yearwood Dark.” “But Keith is and Garth Brooks old school.” After recalling his shortlived radio career — more on that in the Country Aircheck October print issue here — and “conference room auditions of despair,” Urban concluded, “I want to thank every one of you for believing in what I do and playing my music.” KIIM/Tucson PD Buzz Jackson emphasized the importance of radio’s “friendly voice,” especially in (continued on page 11)
Turn Brown For What?: Zac Brown Band’s The Comeback wraps at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena Sunday (10/17). Pictured (l-r) are the label’s Kristen Williams and Cris Lacy, Brown and the label’s Shane Tarleton, Tom Martens and Patrick Sabatini.
NSHoF:Toby Keith
Spotlighting inductees ahead of the Nov. 1 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala continues with Toby Keith. From his No. 1 debut single “Should’ve Been A Cowboy,” Keith’s songwriting has anchored one of the most successful artist careers in country music history. He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2015, three years before
Okay Okies: Keith with Merle Haggard at a BMI event.
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