Like so many before and since him, Toby Keith's "what you see is what you get" approach to songwriting hinders his chances in the ever-evolving landscape of country radio.
"You can get it ... streamed, and you've got your fans who'll play it. But as far as getting airplay, what we do and what I made my hall of fame living doing, they don't want that," he told The Oklahoman during his 19th Toby Keith & Friends Golf Classic. "So, you're kind of wasting your time."
Though he's in the Songwriters Hall of Fame, Keith concedes that his moment on country radio passed before the recent influx of '90s-inspired acts.
"All those years of owning it, and being that guy where you just put it out and they'll automatically play it, well, none of us are that guy anymore," he said.
He comes across less as a critic of change and more as a realist about his current place in the mainstream.
"I've just never been that guy —and I'm not going to change and write that kind of stuff. ... But with all the songs we got, I could play four hours of straight hits," Keith added.
Keith will get his flowers for always being himself on Sept. 28 at the People's Choice Country Awards when he receives a special lifetime achievement award from fellow Oklahoman Blake Shelton.
"We're overjoyed to honor legendary artist Toby Keith with the first-ever Country Icon Award," Cassandra Tryon, Senior Vice President, Entertainment Live Events, NBCUniversal Television and Streaming, shared in a press release. "As a talented songwriter and powerhouse performer, Keith has touched the hearts of fans across the globe. His illustrious career and passion for philanthropy has cemented his place as an icon in country music history."
