Keith Bilbrey
Encyclopedia
Keith Bilbrey is an American country music
disc jockey
and television
host in Nashville, Tennessee
. He served as a disc jockey at Nashville's WSM
, as an announcer on the Grand Ole Opry
, and as the host of TNN’s Grand Ole Opry Live.
, soon after his 16th birthday. He remained at WHUB for six years.
In 1982, Bilbrey began announcing on the Grand Ole Opry, joining a long tradition of legendary Opry announcers, including George D. Hay
, Grant Turner
, Ralph Emery
, and Hairl Hensley. When The Nashville Network (TNN) began televising a thirty minute portion of the show in 1985, the young announcer became the first host of Grand Ole Opry Live. Bilbrey hosted Opry Live, along with the Opry warm-up show, Backstage Live, until TNN stopped airing the show in 2000.
Bilbrey’s affiliation with the Opry earned him additional opportunities in the world of country music television and radio. Starting in 1982, Bilbrey was the announcer for Ernest Tubb
's Midnight Jamboree
, a post that Bilbrey held until Tubb's death in 1984. Bilbrey was the announcer for CBS
’s telecast of the Country Music Association
(CMA) Award Show for three years, as well as the CMA’s 35th Anniversary Special. Bilbrey continues to announce the non-televised portion of the CMA Award Show. He also served as emcee for a variety of television specials, including the TNN/Music City News Awards, An Evening of Country Greats, Honky-Tonkin’ at the Wildhorse, which featured Aaron Tippin
and Marty Stuart
, and the American Federation of Musicians
’ 100th Anniversary Show. Bilbrey also played the role of historian for the A&E
biographies of Buck Owens
and Ronnie Milsap
. In 2006, Bilbrey received the prestigious March of Dimes
Air Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.
, the decision to release Bilbrey was simply a matter of cutting costs with advertising revenue slumping. At Bilbrey’s last Opry show, many performers dedicated songs to him, and Marty Stuart brought Bilbrey to the front of the stage for a final word and a standing ovation.
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
disc jockey
Disc jockey
A disc jockey, also known as DJ, is a person who selects and plays recorded music for an audience. Originally, "disc" referred to phonograph records, not the later Compact Discs. Today, the term includes all forms of music playback, no matter the medium.There are several types of disc jockeys...
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
host in Nashville, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
. He served as a disc jockey at Nashville's WSM
WSM (AM)
WSM is the callsign of a 50,000 watt AM radio station located in Nashville, Tennessee. Operating at 650 kHz, its clear channel signal can reach much of North America and various countries, especially late at night...
, as an announcer on the Grand Ole Opry
Grand Ole Opry
The Grand Ole Opry is a weekly country music stage concert in Nashville, Tennessee, that has presented the biggest stars of that genre since 1925. It is also among the longest-running broadcasts in history since its beginnings as a one-hour radio "barn dance" on WSM-AM...
, and as the host of TNN’s Grand Ole Opry Live.
Early career
Keith Bilbrey was born in Cookeville, Tennessee to Leo and Ethel Bilbrey, the youngest of three children. His love affair with radio began in 4th grade and he got his broadcast license at the age of 14. In 1968, Bilbrey went to work at Cookeville’s WHUBWPTN
WPTN is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Cookeville, Tennessee, USA, the station serves the Cookeville area. The station is currently owned by Cookeville Communications, LLC and features programing from CBS Radio Network and Dial Global...
, soon after his 16th birthday. He remained at WHUB for six years.
WSM and the Grand Ole Opry (1974-2009)
In 1974, Bilbrey moved to Nashville to begin working for WSM, first as a substitute announcer for WSM-FM and then as a full-time disc jockey on WSM’s FM and AM stations. Throughout his career, Bilbrey worked every single time slot at WSM and became an iconic voice in the modern history of the station and fan favorite.In 1982, Bilbrey began announcing on the Grand Ole Opry, joining a long tradition of legendary Opry announcers, including George D. Hay
George D. Hay
George Dewey Hay was an American radio personality. He was the founder of the original Grand Ole Opry radio program on WSM-AM in Nashville, Tennessee, from which the country music stage show of the same name evolved....
, Grant Turner
Grant Turner
Grant Lawton Turner was an association football player who represented New Zealand 42 times in A-internationals from 1980 to 1988,...
, Ralph Emery
Ralph Emery
Walter Ralph Emery is a country music disc jockey and television host from Nashville, Tennessee. He gained national fame hosting the syndicated television music series, Pop! Goes the Country, from 1974 to 1980 and the nightly Nashville Network television program, Nashville Now, from 1983 to 1993...
, and Hairl Hensley. When The Nashville Network (TNN) began televising a thirty minute portion of the show in 1985, the young announcer became the first host of Grand Ole Opry Live. Bilbrey hosted Opry Live, along with the Opry warm-up show, Backstage Live, until TNN stopped airing the show in 2000.
Bilbrey’s affiliation with the Opry earned him additional opportunities in the world of country music television and radio. Starting in 1982, Bilbrey was the announcer for Ernest Tubb
Ernest Tubb
Ernest Dale Tubb , nicknamed the Texas Troubadour, was an American singer and songwriter and one of the pioneers of country music. His biggest career hit song, "Walking the Floor Over You" , marked the rise of the honky tonk style of music...
's Midnight Jamboree
Midnight Jamboree
Midnight Jamboree is an album by American country singer Ernest Tubb, released in 1960 . It also includes performances by Kitty Wells, Webb Pierce, Patsy Cline, and The Wilburn Brothers...
, a post that Bilbrey held until Tubb's death in 1984. Bilbrey was the announcer for CBS
CBS
CBS Broadcasting Inc. is a major US commercial broadcasting television network, which started as a radio network. The name is derived from the initials of the network's former name, Columbia Broadcasting System. The network is sometimes referred to as the "Eye Network" in reference to the shape of...
’s telecast of the Country Music Association
Country Music Association
The Country Music Association was founded in 1958 in Nashville, Tennessee. It originally consisted of only 233 members and was the first trade organization formed to promote a music genre...
(CMA) Award Show for three years, as well as the CMA’s 35th Anniversary Special. Bilbrey continues to announce the non-televised portion of the CMA Award Show. He also served as emcee for a variety of television specials, including the TNN/Music City News Awards, An Evening of Country Greats, Honky-Tonkin’ at the Wildhorse, which featured Aaron Tippin
Aaron Tippin
Aaron Dupree Tippin is an American country music artist and record producer. Initially a songwriter for Acuff-Rose Music, he gained a recording contract with RCA Records in 1990...
and Marty Stuart
Marty Stuart
John Martin "Marty" Stuart is an American country music singer-songwriter, known for both his traditional style, and eclectic merging of rockabilly, honky tonk, and traditional country music...
, and the American Federation of Musicians
American Federation of Musicians
The American Federation of Musicians of the United States and Canada is a labor union of professional musicians in the United States and Canada...
’ 100th Anniversary Show. Bilbrey also played the role of historian for the A&E
A&E Network
The A&E Network is a United States-based cable and satellite television network with headquarters in New York City and offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Detroit, London, Los Angeles and Stamford. A&E also airs in Canada and Latin America. Initially named the Arts & Entertainment Network, A&E launched...
biographies of Buck Owens
Buck Owens
Alvis Edgar Owens, Jr. , better known as Buck Owens, was an American singer and guitarist who had 21 No. 1 hits on the Billboard country music charts with his band, the Buckaroos...
and Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Milsap
Ronnie Lee Milsap is an American country music singer and pianist. He was one of country’s most popular and influential performers of the 1970s and 1980s...
. In 2006, Bilbrey received the prestigious March of Dimes
March of Dimes
The March of Dimes Foundation is a United States nonprofit organization that works to improve the health of mothers and babies.-Organization:...
Air Awards Lifetime Achievement Award.
WSMV-TV and the Ralph Emery Show (1976-2000)
In addition to his career in country music, Bilbrey spent twenty-four years as an air personality for WSM-TV, NBC’s Nashville affiliate. Bilbrey served the majority of this period as the weatherman on the nation’s top-rated local morning show, The Ralph Emery Show, which featured live music and skits in addition to the traditional news, weather, and sports.Leaving WSM
In March 2009, Bilbrey was unexpectedly let go from WSM and the Grand Ole Opry. The news drew a great deal of local coverage, including numerous articles in The Tennessean and daily stories on the local news affiliates, as well as anger from many fans, who circulated a petition that collected over 4,000 signatures. According to The TennesseanThe Tennessean
The Tennessean is the principal daily newspaper in Nashville, Tennessee, USA. Its circulation area covers 39 counties in Middle Tennessee and eight counties in southern Kentucky....
, the decision to release Bilbrey was simply a matter of cutting costs with advertising revenue slumping. At Bilbrey’s last Opry show, many performers dedicated songs to him, and Marty Stuart brought Bilbrey to the front of the stage for a final word and a standing ovation.