Tag Archives: music

Just In Case You Missed Him

Oh, brother, here he goes again. Tim’s writing this week about somebody else he knew that passed away.

Well, actually, I never met the guy. But just in the off-chance you don’t dabble much in country music, I wanted to make a quick introduction to Toby Keith on his way out.

Back when I discovered I could actually make a career out of being on the radio, one of the unwritten radio rules was, “never go into country music radio unless you wanted to stay in country music radio.” When I was in Yakima at my very first professional radio job and getting restless, I looked in the trades to see if there were any job openings somewhere else that I could apply for. I’d see a job, find out it was a country music station, and crossed it off the list.

Now, we’re talking back in the mid-1970s, back when country music featured the likes of Roy Clark, Johnny Cash, Waylon, Willie and the boys and a newcomer named Dolly Parton. Nothing wrong with their music, but it wasn’t my cup of tea and I just didn’t want to end up trapped there.

Flash forward to 2005. My KLSY days were three years in the rear-view mirror and while I was trying to reinvent myself as a writer and advertising guy, the radio bug was still in me. So, when a weekender opening came up at the new 100.7 The Wolf, they gave me a Sunday morning shift, and on occasion, I also did vacation fill-in.

This was a valuable experience for several reasons. Basically, you had to say what you wanted to say over a song intro or in 10-seconds. Coming from a personality morning show, where we could take our time, my experience on the Wolf taught me that I didn’t just want to be a “time and temp” disc jockey. Being on the air was fun, but after a year of those confines and only getting a whopping $10 an hour, I was good. I gave up radio for the time being and focused on developing those advertising and marketing skills.

However, that year at The Wolf was perfectly timed to be when country music was going through a serious change. Gone was the old twangy stuff, which was replaced with the new country, what they were calling “fresh country.” Miranda Lambert, Gretchen Wilson, Blake Shelton, Trace Adkins and some guy named Garth Brooks. And I liked it.

Over the years, I still find myself downloading a country song I heard somewhere, like something from Chris Stapleton or Luke Bryan. And, for the record, I disproved that theory that if you took a job in country music radio, you’d be stuck there.

It was around that same time when I was on The Wolf that I found myself going through a divorce. One of the worst experiences of my life, for so many reasons.

One of those fresh country singers, a guy by the name of Toby Keith had a song out around that time that pretty described how I felt and made me weepy-eyed every time I heard it. Although, when you listen, pay attention to the lyrics, not necessarily the music video. 😉

I hoped you listened to it with your eyes closed, because it’s the sentiment of the song I connected with. To be honest, it’s the first time I’ve seen the video and while it had a dark start, if you made it all the way to the end, you saw it had a humorous twist. Toby Keith did that kind of stuff. His music was spot-on with topics while he wrote songs that were clever, fun and ground level.

Here’s another great example. He took the old line, “I’m not as good as I once was, but I’m good once as I ever was” and turned it into a catchy tune.

He would also write about simple things. Like putting a spotlight on something as simple as the Red Solo Cup.

And if you’re going to write a tune about plastic cups, you’re probably also a good candidate to write a love song about a bar.

Staying on the theme (a one-degree separation from alcohol), it shouldn’t be surprising that he wrote this little ditty for the little person, the everyday Joe, about getting drunk to feel like they were somebody.

Oh, he’s got plenty more where that came from, including this one, which got a lot of play when he passed away earlier this year from stomach cancer at the younger-every-day age of 62.

He was a good old boy from Oklahoma, who would have celebrated his 40th wedding anniversary this year, but instead left behind a wife and three kids. He only managed to get in 62 years on this rock, but boy, did he make them count, while making the world and music he left behind just a little more fun.

I just wanted to make sure you got a chance to know Toby on the way out, just in case you missed him.

Tim Hunter

End of The Year Nuggets

No, they didn’t move up New Year’s Eve. But with Christmas and New Year’s Day both falling on a Monday when I traditionally post my latest blog, that takes out the next two weeks. So, see you again in 2024–but, until then, just tying up some loose ends with one of my Topic Salads.

INCIDENT AT THE POST OFFICE

I’ve learned over the years that the smart move during the holiday season is to pop into the post office at odd hours and use the automated machine. It saves a ton of time and helps you avoid those long lines. Sunday morning, 7pm on a weeknight, I just walk in, hit the machine, take care of biz and leave.

The other day I boldly went around 11am on a Sunday. Not as early as I like to go and there was the chance it could be busy, but fortunately there was only one guy using the machine. I think I startled him at first, but when he realized I was safe, he apologized for having to print out 30 different postage amounts. I said, “No worries” which he quickly followed with a question about the upcoming Seahawks game. After all, I was wearing my Hawks jersey and the game was less than two hours away. As his postage was printing, he asked, “How do you think they’re going to do today?” I went into sports radio mode and made some neutral comments, fully embracing the team’s flaws, but expressing hopeful optimism.

By the time I was done rambling, his postage had printed and he turned over the machine to me. After putting his envelopes into the mail slot, he walked towards the door. I figured I’d give him a spirited send-off and yelled out, “Go Hawks!” He turned, looked, and said slyly, “Go ‘9ers!”

I had been conversing with the enemy.

MY ASTUTE OBSERVATION

Something happened to me recently that inspired this theory.

I went to Costco to fill up my car with the lowest priced gas in our area, just like everybody else. My gas tank is on the right side of my car, so I got in line in one of the lanes on the left side of the pump. As I watched the assortment of people pulling up, getting out, filling up and driving away, I couldn’t help but notice that people who pulled in on the left side of the pump were much slower than the people on the right. The next time you’re filling up at Costco or any gas station, see if that theory holds true. Or, it could be just whatever line Tim gets in, THAT will be the slow one.

If true, that would tie in nicely with my tradition at the Brown Bear Car Wash where–no matter which of the two lanes I choose–I always get behind the guy who has trouble paying and then, figuring out how to get into the car wash without the attendant having to shut things down.

THE ANNUAL CHRISTMAS PARODY SONG

I’ve mentioned before about my list of December things I like to do: Get the annual family Christmas letter written and get the cards out by the 15th; Assemble my annual Christmas CD (you can listen to that here) which I successfully pulled off for the 23rd consecutive holiday season; And, as part of that CD collection, an annual Christmas parody song about something topical with singer Alana Baxter. The entire collection is right here on my YouTube Channel, but I really want to brag about this year’s project.

Most people I know spend the month of November focused on Thanksgiving. However, my mind is busy thinking about this year’s song and rounding up some fresh holiday tunes for my HO HO BROTHER collection, as well as writing up some comedy bits to toss in.

In this year’s case, I was wondering what the heck we could possibly do that we haven’t done before. I attempted to come up with lyrics for a rewrite of “Last Christmas”, but it just didn’t flow. I thought, “So, what’s been in the news lately?” and there he was: George Santos.

Santos. That’s close to Santa. Hmmmmm….

The result was “Santos Baby” and I probably wrote the song in around 20 minutes. I fine-tuned a couple of lines later, but the big trick was going to be getting my singer, Alana Baxter to record it. After all, she had worked in Japan the bulk of this year and was scheduled to come home, but then she had another job offer in Japan that was too good to pass up. She was still planning a quick Seattle visit, but not until right before Christmas.

We’ve cut it close in some of those years, not getting the video out until right before Christmas. You see, this is a challenging process:

  1. First, getting her into my studio to record the song. Then,
  2. Mixing down a final audio version.
  3. We then put that final version on her phone and have her sing along with some of the lines while shooting video at various holiday locations around the area.
  4. Then, take the song, the video I shot and some holiday b-roll and mix it all together into a video.

This year, Alana did her parts in Japan with the help of a friend who held the phone for her. I created a music bed for her to sing along with, which she did, I went to YouTube to download a bunch of video with George Santos and somehow, it just all came together.

If you haven’t seen it yet, here is “Santos Baby” by Alana Baxter.

https://youtu.be/qk8GbidYmug?si=i85JZ1Pf6dJs3VqC

With Alana scheduled to also be in Japan next year as well, we’re conspiring to record and shoot video now for the 2024 video. I just have to write it over the next week or so.  Wish me luck!

SOME HOLIDAY TREATS

There are lots of versions of “A Christmas Carol.” While my favorite is the 1951 version with Alistair Sim, the 1938 treatment with Reginald Owen is fun in a different way. Scrooge’s ex-fiancé never even gets mentioned! In this version, it’s Bob Cratchit’s wife that toasts Scrooge, which in the ’51 edition, she at first, refuses! But here’s some 1938 Christmas Carol trivia: the little boy who played Tiny Tim those many years ago, Terry Kilburn, is still alive and well and celebrating the holidays with us at the age of 97. But the best part: the actor who played Bob Cratchit in the 1938 “Christmas Carol” was Gene Lockhart, who you’ll recognize as a much younger version of Judge Harper in the 1947 classic, “Miracle on 34th Street.”

And this was just too cute not to share. To prove I didn’t just make this up, I’m going to show you the text message I received over the weekend from daughter-in-law Samantha, about grand-daughter, Evelyn (best known as Evie) and what she had to say:

On that high note, I need to say “Ta-Ta” until next year and wish you a very Merry Christmas and all the best the holiday season has to offer.

Oh, and one other thing I like to do each December–create a special holiday video greeting from my company, Tim Hunter Creative Services.

https://youtu.be/Eg3S8aFHg_k

Cherish the ones you love. And peace.

Tim Hunter

The Evolution

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We’ve gone our entire lives, taking music along with us every step of the way. From the time we’re born and exposed to a singing nursery rhyme, to the comfort music we turn to when we want to feel good today.

Come along as I take you on a historical tour of my taste in music.

Of course, I was born back in the days before everything had a music bed. Now, you brace yourself to hear a song when you open a birthday card or someone’s ringtone goes off.

I spent my single digit years listening to an assortment of polkas, big bands and church music. But around the time I was 8 or so, the British Invasion began and mop-haired bands with names like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones and such became all the rage.

I lived in a big Beatles neighborhood. I remember kids wearing “I like Paul” and “I like John” buttons. Funny, I don’t remember any Ringo buttons. The music I heard from my TV shows included “Let the sunshine in” by Pebbles & Bam Bam and later that decade, “The Monkees” had us tuning in every Monday to hear the latest songs.  All the while, rock was evolving, going from the pop to the psychedelic and soul music. I liked them all.

I basically am a music sponge and there are very few forms I don’t enjoy. Now, I do have an endurance limit on opera and reggae is fine as long as you let me know when the last song ended and the new one has started.

In high school, KHJ, the AM powerhouse in Los Angeles, kept the hits coming. Most were 3-minute songs, with the occasional breakthrough like “American Pie” that had to be played in it’s entirety. As high school became college, the songs got longer and rockier. One of the badges of honor in Terry Hall at the University of Washington was to have the most expensive speakers possible so that you could crank Pink Floyd’s “Dark side of the moon” or Aerosmith’s “Train kept a rollin'” at maximum level.

While I enjoy going to channel 25 on my satellite every now and then, I get restless. If I had to pick a category of music preference, I’d have to say “rocker.”  It reminds me of those college days. Robin Trower, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Foghat, you name it.

I managed to surround myself with rock, even after I graduated and went to work at a small radio station in Yakima, Washington. This was my first professional radio job. When I arrived, it was a daytime radio station (yep, we signed off at sunset) with a 1-point something rating.  By pushing the limits on the air, Brady Layman’s musical diversity and people like Skip Tucker messing with the minds of the listeners, we had us a radio station. Oh, we played the Bay City Rollers, but we also worked in album cuts of Foghat, or Meatloaf’s “Paradise by the Dashboard Light.”  The younger listeners showed up and in some day-parts, we increased the ratings 9-fold!

But soon, I wandered across town and, shortly after that, over to Seattle, where I found myself at Middle of the Road KOMO-AM 1000. I remember sitting in a room with Larry Nelson as he interviewed Johnny Mathis and at the Paramount talking to Wayne Newton.  My rockin’ times were behind me.

After four years, I was cut loose and found myself at KLSY, which at the time was “Classy-FM.” We’re talking Carpenters, Anne Murray, Christopher Cross and others on the soft side.  Oh, I heard some of the big hits on the other station in town—KUBE. “Love Shack”, the Coolio hits, you know, fun stuff like that. But all I could do was sneak in a listen every now and then. For some reason, I felt a loyalty to the music we played, as I felt it would help me better connect to the audience.  So, I lost track of what was happening in rock.

Over my 19 years at KLSY, it progressed slowly and even for a brief while, gave Star 101.5 a run for their money. Program Director and friend Barry McKay pushed the envelope on music and was helping us gain ground. It was through the personal sabotage of another employee that Barry had the reigns taken away, the station returned to that no-man’s land of in-between what WARM played and what STAR played and the station slowly withered away.

When we were thrown a surprise going away party, I went away, thinking I was done with radio. But anyone who’s ever been there knows, it’s a disease.  Something keeps calling you back. So, I applied and was added to weekends and fill-duty at the brand new Wolf country station in Seattle. I had never, I mean EVER liked country music…but the stuff I found myself playing–Keith Urban, Trace Adkins, Kenny Chesney–won me over. After a year, I decided giving up sleep on a Sunday morning for $10 really wasn’t in my long-term interest and I let radio go.

Right now, I truly am all over the board. Give me Macklemore, Taylor Swift, Usher, Blake Shelton, Guns ‘n Roses and I’m a happy guy. This summer’s list of concerts included Boston, Don Henley, A blues festival at the winery, GNR last Friday night and next month, one more winery visit with Joe Walsh.

Bottom line–I love music, I appreciate music, and you have to admit–as you reflect back on your life, there’s a song connected to almost every important moment. The “Sweetheart’s Ball” theme of ‘Precious & Few’ my junior year of high school.  “They’re coming to take me away”, while listening to Dr. Demento in College.

These days, when I’m not listening to talk radio, it’s off to either my phone or the satellite and a nice little musical escape. I can choose a decade, rock my brains out, or even slip in a little Big Band song or two.

Music is such a powerful part of our lives. It resurfaces feelings and stimulates memories. Right now, I’m going to go back to last Friday night’s concert with the words, “Alexa, play Paradise City by Guns ‘n Roses.”

I love technology.

Tim Hunter