Keith Bilbrey's official WSM disc jokey photo.
“Absolutely unconscionable,” “inexcusable,” “unfathomable” and “a mistake that WSM may never recover from” are just a few of the descriptors country music fans shared online in reaction to the announcement that longtime on-air personality Keith Bilbrey had been relieved of his job.
On the air at at Nashville's 650 AM for more than three decades, Bilbrey will soon cease serving as the midday DJ for WSM, the 50,000-watt country station that first began broadcasting in 1925 and is now heard online and across much of North America and even into some parts of Canada. He also was relieved of his role as announcer for the Grand Ole Opry.
A native of Cookeville, Tenn., Bilbrey’s regular afternoon slot on WSM is weekdays 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Reportedly, his Monday-Friday spot will be delegated to a cyber jockey, meaning voice tracking will be utilized. The cost-saving measure involves a DJ, somewhere, prerecording his or her on-air banter, then merging it with songs, commercials and so forth to create a product that sounds like a live DJ, but alas, it’s only an audio illusion.
Bilbrey, left, interviewing country artist Steve Wariner.
As for the Grand Ole Opry, the longest-running radio show in history, Bilbrey served as its announcer for just a decade under his tenure at WSM. According to the country-radio broadcaster’s bio, after his first visit to the Opry at age 12, he decided then and there that he wanted to one day work at the Opry. And he grew up to do just that, even serving as the original host for the Grand Ole Opry Live when it was still broadcast on TNN.
Following a March 11 report in The Tennessean newspaper about Bilbrey’s unexpected dismissal, WSM listeners and Opry fans alike took to message boards to lament and vent their displeasure at the news that came from Gaylord, which owns both the Opry and 650 AM—the latter of which has come to be known as "The Air Castle of the South."
If they're doing away with the midday show, why won't Keith be doing the Opry anymore?” wrote one unhappy WSM listener. “I thought (Bilbrey) was the reigning ‘Dean of Opry Announcers.’ … There has to be more to this lame-brained decision, or else this is the most idiotic thing WSM has done since about 2002, when they considered switching from their classic country format.”
Another upset listener, going by the online moniker of BigReddy, posted, “Gaylord will probably be asking for a bail-out soon. There is dumb and then there is stupid. If you ask me this is another (Opry VP and General Manager) Pete Fisher stunt. Glory to the bean counters. Next … they will want to put Fisher in the Hall Of Fame.”
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Stonewall Jackson filed suit against the Opry.
According to The Tennessean, in an e-mail to friends and industry associates, Bilbrey’s missus, Emy-Joe Bellenfant-Bilbrey, wrote, “The station assured him he had done nothing to provoke this, it was that they are doing away with the midday show … it will be strictly voice tracked.”
Still, devoted WSM and Opry fans’ shock and dismay remains far from quelled. Bilbrey, after all, is a respected broadcaster at the legendary WSM and within the cherished market that is the undisputed home of country music, Nashville. He’s more than just a local fixture, too, having been featured in the A & E Biography cable shows that profile Buck Owens and Ronnie Milsap—never mind that he’s penned a song or two with Tom T. Hall and wife Dixie.
"Kinda looks like Stonewall Jackson may have been right,” wrote another peeved blogger, referring to the age discrimination lawsuit that country star and Opry member Jackson settled out of court with Gaylord not too long ago.
“As you start to show a little gray, the Opry has no more need for you,” continued the online post. “WSM, this is a big mistake...Keith is as much a part of the Opry as Any of the stars on stage there...The older guys and gals are dying off and this new ‘country music,’ with its new people will eventually kill the Opry.”
No word yet on which “cyber jock” will be plugged into WSM’s midday slot, just as there’s no public hint as to who will serve as the next Opry announcer. Country Aircheck reports that Gaylord, at this writing, had not confirmed Bilbrey's departure (even if his wife already has). Nonetheless, bet on Bilbrey’s popularity to last and expect WSM to permanently lose some listeners; that’s the popular consensus.
For more info: WSM Web page, Grand Ole Opry Web site, Gaylord Entertainment home page,Country's Stonewall Jackson settles Opry lawsuit, Stonewall Jackson's MySpace page
Comments
I remember Kieth frm when he did weather on the Ralph Emery Show and sang Home Grown Tomatoes. The cancellation of his radio show is understandable if misguided. I'd still like to know why he's not going to be on the Opry anymore.
This is an absolute shame. Keith is THE voice of country music radio and the Grand Ole Opry, in the tradition of Grant Turner and other WSM greats.
I hope othera will join me in boycotting WSMAM
and the grand old opry! SHAME ON Pete Fiaher
and the general mgr of 650. If they can let the best reo -Keith - go, they do not deserve
our loyality!!
This is just another step to the ending of the Grand Ole Opry. The Opry will not survive with all these youngsters taking over, they can't sing country music. When its gone, it will never come back. Pete Fisher is the grim reaper of the Opry,he's working himself out of a job. They just as well do the Opry house like they did Operyland. It's done, you can stick a fork in it.
My husband and I think it is absolutly descripible to say the least about the letting
Keith Bilbray go from the Grand Ole Opry-WSM.
Mr. Fisher what in the world were you thinking
about any way.SHAME ON YOU!
I see the comments here are dated March 12. I'm wondering why. Is it also mismanagement?
The WSM website don't work. The Opry stream on the internet is and has been inoperable.
What do the advertisers on WSM think?
What is dispicable is people blasting the Opry for keeping with the times. Face it, the reason no one sings "true" country anymore is because is doesn't sell, and the Opry and WSM are both BUSINESSES FIRST! Come on people, do be so ignorant. Bravo Gaylord for trying to stay in step with the progression of time.
I remember the first time I met keith when I first came to nashville when grampa jones was still alive. I got the chance for some reason to go back stage and got to meet grandpa jones it was his last performance before he passed away, and I also got to meet keith he was very warm and welcoming. I met keith again when he took time to be the MC and he was good at the mel McDaniel benefit concert, its nice to see whats been done to hime by gaylord hasnt fazed him with doing what he does best helping others. I think its very sad that Gaylord is willing to allow this to happen to save a buck, time will tell just how of and idea it was to let keith go.
so long hippy,ragged dressed cant sing foul mouthed country singer wantabes just thinknot only are you pityful but normal people dont want to hear ya and they got the nerve to still call it THE GRAND OL OPRY ????????? what a disgrace to the real country singers
This just goes to show you the greed of the rich.All the opry stars should move to Branson and start their own show.If the working American don't start standing up for fair reasoning then America is going to fall.
I had the great pleasure of being a friend and working with Keith during my Air Force career. I was with the Air Force band Wild Blue Country for 17 1/2 years. We went to Nashville for 11 years to perform and Keith was always there to help us. We played the Opry 10 times, and Nashville Now 6 times.
Just another case of American Corporate Greed, hell I can't even get on the website to listen to the Sat. Nite Oprey. WSM was the last Real Country music station. Sound's like not enough sponser's to support it.Well they'll probably loose more sponser's now with Keith gone.
I had the great honor to be friends with Keith as a entertainer and as a friend for over 27 years. I was in the Air Force Band " Wild Blue Country" and have been on the Grand Ole Opry 10 times and the Nashville Now Show 6 times, Keith welcome my band to the radio station at the Opry Hotel many times to perform live on the WSM radio channel. I can't understand what's wrong with the management of the great Gaylord enterprise to let a value able asset as Keith go. From Colorado please think this matter over.
This is one more in a string of stunts that Gaylord has done to destroy any sign of country music as we know it and love it. Gaylord has done more harm to Nashville and the country music industry than any other force in the history of this country. I have never had as much contempt for an organization as I do Gaylord. Gaylord is to country music what Charles Manson was to California
WSM just lost my company's business. We will NEVER advertise with them again. I'd rather go out of business. But rest assured Gaylord and WSM, I will NOT go out of business, my family was in business here in Tennessee when you got here and we'll damn well be here when you leave; but you'll NEVER get another cent of our advertising budget. I URGE EVERY BUSINESS IN THIS COUNTRY NOT TO ADVERTISE WITH WSM OR SUPPORT ANYTHING THAT GAYLORD HAS A PART IN.
You have an organization or rather govt. agency called the FCC . AKAs (federal crap comission) that deregulated radio broadcasting. The "crap" is on AM radio. If you don't like what you hear out the speaker of your "radio" AM or FM than by all means "touch the dial" change the "station" When they get kicked in the butt economy wise, People pay attention I don't fly on airplanes, not because I hate airplanes, I don't like the extra $ 12.50 per ticket you are now "charged" to get "shook-down" at the airport to get on a "plane". When was the last time you got shook down to ride AMTRAK.
Just another Murder on Music Row, Maybe Country Music could be imported from China
COME ON PEOPLE, YOU REALLY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON. WITH THE STATION WSM TRYING TO RID THE THEMSELVES AND THE STATION OF THEIR MUSIC FORMAT THEY HAD HOPES OF CONVERTING THE ENTIRE ESTABLISHMENT TO A HUGE GAMBLING CASINO.
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