Keith Stephens

Bin Laden

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 03 May 2011 02:55:34 GMT

It was almost surreal last night. I was flipping thru Netflix choices, glancing down at my phone feeding my Twitter addiction ,when i saw a few tweets that President Obama was going to address the nation at 10:30....but no topic. Then no topic became .."something to do with national security to where news leaked out that Bin Laden was dead. For many of you, as pictures from the White House and Ground Zero celebrations began to appear, I'm sure thoughts of where you were, came flying back....for me, I even remember the small details, We were doing a refinance on the house...the dog had a vet appointment, the all clear that my sister was fine (she lived in NYC at the time) are things i'll never forget. I vividly remember seeing my daughter, two months old, lying in her crib...wondering about her future. But i REALLY remember coming to the studio that ...

Taylor Swift- ENTERTAINER of the year!

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 02:26:27 GMT

I was on the Facebook chat last night for the ACMS. I continue to be miffed, confused, "don't get" as to WHY there is such nastiness when Taylor Swift wins a major award. The arguement that she's NOT country is a joke. Yup...She's got pop versions of songs out...as do Lady A,, Sugarland and don't look now kids JASON ALDEAN and Kelly Clarkson are crossing over...Let us not forget that in the late 90s, BOTH Shania and Faith were massive at pop radio....trust me i lived it! Whats country to you might be different to whats country to me....BUT WHY the nasty posts? Hey...It's cool if she's NOT your favorite, maybe she's not the greatest singer who ever walked the planet but why is there such dislike from some? If you have kids would YOU want her to be a role model? Ever read an ounce of scandal about Taylor Swift?? ...

Famous for being famous

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 29 Mar 2011 00:03:09 GMT

Back in the stone age, One of my friends was a very savy marketing guy even when we both in college. He was a big "American Bandstand" fan (yes...now i have the theme stuck in my head). He was always excited to point out the acts he knew that would go nowhere. Some grade C actor carving out a music career. He used to refer to them as being "Famous for being famous" This thought seems to go thru my head when i see all this never ending hype about Charlie Sheen. Yes, he's had a great run on a sitcom...I loved "Platoon" but a TOUR? Interns? a MILLION Twitter followers? really? I've read his tweets...at first, there was a novelty about them...now...to me he's like that party guest who won't go home...Nothing against the guy, but i think off\ all the talent that works their socks off in Nashville ...

Winter Benchmark

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 03:57:41 GMT

I can't remember a winter where so much of the talk on the radio and in cyberland is about THIS winter. You'd think it's going to be 80 this week and we're all going to be sitting in traffic on the Sagamore Bridge heading to the Cape (oh but a day at Kalmus Beach in Hyannis sounds REALLLY good right now)...but we will take the 50's To me, Presidents day is always a benchmark that we are getting close to turning the corner on winter, altho i remember one nasty snowstorm on Presidents day when i frist started at this radio show. Also the month of March isn't alway a picnic with the weather... So it got me to thinking, We have some big shows this summer. Keith Urban, Two taylor and Kenny shows. Has this LONG winter opened your wallet for this forth coming summer. Anyone indulging and going ...

Wintertimes

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:09:24 GMT

Just sitting HERE and thinking how much i enjoy "Summertime" by Kenny when it comes on the studio speakers. "All Summer Long"..etc... Yes, I too have reached my cold weather/SNOW saturation point. Artists are smart. Tell me a song you really want to hear with WINTER in the title... "Hazy Shade of Winter....." (not really) Even songs that could be sad if you just read their title, "Summer Time BLUES" warm me up tonight.... Don't worry ...WE will get thru it. Before you know it, We will all be complaining about the heat and humidity. I say:BRING IT ON

I used to want my MTV

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 15:03:01 GMT

Last week i touched on how many CDs, actual REAL Cds....not Downloads, you bought in 2010. Over the weekend i was channel flipping and stopped on GAC and saw the video for "Hello World" from Lady A. Very very gut checking. Then i stayed with the channel for about 30 mins or so....I realized tho, how little i sit around and WAIT for videos to play. YouTube is always around...You can usually go to the artists page and see it there too and if you really love it, you can actually download it off Itunes (which we have at wklb.com). Have fun today and tell your kids that you used to sit around and WAIT for videos! They will give you that same look my kids do when i explain that when christmas specials used to run, if i missed it, that was it. NO DVR....I didn't even ...

Happy New year!

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 03:18:57 GMT

I was thinking over the holidays that for the first time ever, I did not buy a single physical cd in all of 2010! This doesn't mean i didn't buy ANY music in 2010 it just means no ACTUAL cd....No trying to get that shrink wrap off...reading the small print (hey i'm over 40..) on the booklet. I did notice in 2010 that i'm buying LOTS of singles... Oddly...the cherry picking of singles is one of the big reasons Garth is NOT available on itunes. He hates it. Wants his albums to be listened to as a whole.... Over the holidays i was going thru some old boxes and found some of my old LPS...a couple of them were double sets. Both sleeves were intact and the BIG booklet with staples intact made for some great reading. Got me to thinking that in some ways, we ARE getting shortchanged by ...

To have and to hold..The CD

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 23:58:36 GMT

A few days before the Kenny Chesney cd came out, I received an advance copy. Being an ex music director, I did what I always do. I went thru it quickly to pick out the singles. It wasn’t until days later that I actually listened to it. Front to Back…like I used to. It made me think…is listening to an ENTIRE CD (album for my older friends…) a dying art. I’m finding that I’m buying a lot more singles than I used to. It’s so easy. Click. Buy. Download. I was struck though that I miss the “physical” cd or better yet a nice big album. Opening the sleeve.Reading the liner notes. I find that even if a download COMES with notes…I rarely read them. Too Much work. I think kids will miss songs that are great because they never become hits. My kids only know Taylor Swifts hits…Ask them ...

Country 1025 on your IPOD

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 00:20:15 GMT

I've noticed recently that IPODs and some cell phones are now coming with FM radio. My Droid phone has one and truth be told i don't use it. The ear phones are supposed to act as an antenna...The reception isn't great on my phone. However, the NEW IPOD Nano, not only comes with an FM radio but the ability to pause LIVE radio for up to 15 minutes, acting like a TIVO for your NANO. Would you use this feature? Maybe to pause the radio if you knew your favorite song was coming up and you had to go into a store.. Would this feature entice you to add a new IPOD to your collection??

Year after Year

kstephens@wklb.com (Keith Stephens) — Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:33:20 GMT

I can't believe Saturday was my 11th Country 102.5 Festival. How did THAT happen? Pretty much, the weather has been good. YES i DO know it was hot! I always enjoy watching the buildup to "the day". Plans are made, menus are created. Info is shared......."what time do the parking lots open??" But what impresses ME the most? YOU...... YOUR excitement for the day. I was at the broadcast table when Lady Antebellum came out for their interview. This has been a MASSIVE year for this group and yet, people watched and cheered the interview and when it was done, nobody shoved themselves to the front, nobody screamed at security. It was a credit to all who were there.... And none of that energy was lost when they played their set....and when it was Tim's turn..........madness..... but in a good way.......... MY, you ladies love ...