weekly February 12, 2024, Issue 896
Remembering Toby Keith
Last week’s passing of Toby Keith (Chronicle 2/5) prompted an outpouring of remembrances, some of which are collected below. Reactions posted on social media are collected on pages 9, 11 and 12. Read Keith’s career-spanning Country Aircheck interview – and favorite stories from his manager T.K. Kimbrell, agent Curt Motley, songwriter Scotty Emerick, Live Nation’s Brian O’Connell and others – in the October 2023 issue here. • WKHX/Atlanta PD Mike Moore: I enjoyed many late-night postshow conversations on Toby’s bus, watching him hold court at the Bridge Bar during CRS and the kindness he showed our listeners. I’m also struck by what a brilliant businessman he was – the first country star to open a bar/restaurant. He also invested the money he earned from songwriting to improve production for his shows to create a better experience for his fans. Plus there’s his incredible service to charity and our military. One late-night conversation we had revolved around the internet. “I would imagine as much good has come from the internet as bad,” he said. “People are stealing my music, but if you’re a parent and your child is suffering from some rare disease, now you can reach someone clear across the world that might be able to help.” Interesting perspective and way ahead of his time. RIP, Big Dawg. Sax & Keith • Promotion vet Greg Sax: In August 2005, I had just been hired by Scott Borchetta to promote Toby Keith for Big Machine and Show Dog, which hadn’t been officially announced yet. Toby was on tour in Atlanta and Scott set me up in Toby’s dressing room pre-show saying Toby probably wouldn’t even use the room, so I made myself at home. My family had bought me what I was told was a purple iPod (it was pink) loaded with my favorite songs. I got so comfortable I began to perform my own concert with the earbuds firmly in my ears and my voice cranked to 11. Without warning, Toby entered the room with his entourage. Which I realized when I opened my eyes and saw them all standing about a foot away, staring at an individual they don’t recognize who has penetrated Toby’s private dressing room. (continued on page 3)
Memory Foam: BMLGR’s Chris Janson celebrates his latest No. 1, ”All I Need Is You,” with WPCV/Lakeland. Pictured (l-r) are the label’s Liz Gregg Santana, the station’s Bob Walker, Janson, the station’s Julie Kaye and the label’s Ryan Dokke.
A Station & Listeners Grieve
Not surprisingly, the most-played artist on Country radio Feb. 6 was Toby Keith, and no station on the panel played more of his music that day than Audacy KILT/Houston, which went all-Keith from 6am to 11am. The response of KILT and its listeners is representative of what was heard and felt across Country radio and the world of country music after Keith’s passing. APD/morning co-host Monica “Mo” Lunsford started the internal group text when she woke up to the news of Keith’s death shortly before 4am, “How should we handle this?” “We were texting back and forth, and [co-host] Erik Scott Smith said we should open up the phones and play all Toby,” says co-host George Lindsey. “After our first two breaks, the phone lines didn’t let up all morning. It was amazing – one of the most powerful audience/host experiences I’ve had since Hurricane Harvey.” “The morning show threw their entire George Lindsey planned show, including benchmarks, out with Toby the window,” says Audacy/Houston VP/
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