So Jimmy Carter, our Nashville correspondent, was talking with Jesse and I like he does every weekday morning at around 5:50 and 7:50 and he was talking about a review that Keith Urban got from a recent show.  The reviewer said that Keith put on a really good show “but don’t call that country!”

On a quick side note: Jesse and I have commented on the air about the “concert reviewer” subject many times on our show.  I have a good deal of respect for people who write columns, it’s not easy to come up with material to fill what the newspaper industry calls the “news hole” every day.  I do take issue (pun intended) with newspapers sending people who are not fans of a certain music genre out to see a show by one of its artists.  For example, I’ve been playing country music on the radio since the late 80’s and I could not possibly give a good and unbiased review of a concert by Slipknot.  The same holds true for the Yngwie Malmsteen loving concert reviewers being sent to country shows.  Can I get an amen?

Sorry, back to Keith Urban.  I first met Keith as part of The Ranch at the Riverside Ballroom* in Green Bay, WI, late October ‘97.  He was opening for Ty Herndon at the time and a relative unknown.  He is the same today as he was then, shy, unassuming, polite.  The kind of guy you walk away from thinking “what a nice guy.  I hope he does well.”  I had a chance to hang out with Keith, Jerry and Peter for a while before the show.  What a great group of guys, excited to be out making music and having fun.  I’ll never forget that show.  I’ve seen many three piece bands in my day, but I have never seen one that was able to make so much wonderful noise with so few people.  I was blown away and a dedicated Keith Urban fan from that day forward.  I still pull out that Ranch CD from time to time and listen to it.  It’s great music.  Keith sure has come a long way.  I’ve seen him in concert many times in the last ten years and he’s never failed to impress me.  I think his songwriting is unique and spot on for what country fans are looking for in the new millennium.

It’s fitting that Keith has a new Greatest Hits package coming out next week as I write this blog.  It’s great to see an artist that has done so much for the country format reach such an impressive milestone.  Congrats, Keith… and many more!

I leave you with this Keith Urban memory.  Any of you who have listened to Jesse & I on the WOLF have probably heard me say this, but Keith Urban is one of the single greatest guitar players of all time.  During that show with the Ranch, I saw Keith play “Devil Went Down to Georgia” ALL ON GUITAR!  It was amazing!  I found this video of him playing the song so you could see it, too.  The hair is shorter, and there are a few less tattoos, but he sure could wail.  Check it out!

*As an interesting side note, Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens and The Big Bopper played The Riverside Ballroom on February 1, 1959.  They headed to Clear Lake, IA that night, and would all be dead 24 hours later.

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