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FACING UP
Deborah Minter
Robert Keith has worked for many years to become what he always planned, a country entertainer. But it was the addictive appeal of his debut single A Cowboy Never Cries that thrust him into the focus of an appreciative country music audience. The first single from his new album melds a captivating chorus with inspired production by the classy songmeister MICHAEL FLANDERS.
"Michael is a great guy to work with," Robert enthused. "He’s a lot of fun and has a great positive attitude. I took my songs into the studio and had one idea how I thought they would sound. He took them and gave them a new approach. It really made them sound amazing."
Robert is still amazed at the reception the track has already received on radio across the nation. "I never expected such a great reaction," he said. "I wrote A Cowboy Never Cries about ten or twelve years ago and, I guess I got a bit detached to it as other songs came along." Other people, DJs and fans alike, hearing it with fresh ears, have really taken a liking to it.
"It was probably one of the first real country songs I ever wrote," Robert said. It came from observations of several people who just didn’t seem to be able to find that special person. "There’s this guy who lived out on the farm all his life, in his sixties, never married, his mum looked after him until she died, he’s still living in the family home, never heard him put more than two words together, always working, no time for anything else."
"The video clip (for A Cowboy Never Cries) has been well received on CMC," Robert said. "It was a lot of fun to do and we’re planning the next one now."
That song is likely to be the uplifting love song This Time Love. Robert chose the song as a follow up single because he wanted to show himself as a multifaceted songwriter. "I grew up listening to the BEATLES, BILLY JOEL and CROWDED HOUSE," Robert said. "Then I discovered country music." Stars like KEITH URBAN really impressed him. "I saw him years ago when he performed at a venue with hardly anyone there. I thought -Wow! This guy is gonna be huge!"
Robert’s talents as a songwriter are evident as the album progresses. "The songs on the album are quite diverse," he said. Indeed, the album ranges in style from the straight country of A Cowboy Never Cries to the moody Beatlesque Anthems.
"Face The World is about time to myself; everyone’s gone out and you’ve got the house to yourself. You just want to chill out. You want to turn your stereo up, drink beer, eat pizza and dance around in your underwear. You don’t have to worry about what anybody thinks, you don’t have to Face The World. That song really is me."
Not every song is about his life. "I Messed Up is definitely not one about me," Robert laughed. Actually, his home life is everything he ever dreamed. He dedicated several tracks to his wife Suzanne; all love songs. "The duet (with NATALIE HOWARD) Just Like Magic is about how we met," he said, "as is This Time Love. The upbeat Reflections is written for his daughter Jessica.
Robert’s light dusty voice is immensely listenable, but his talents don’t end there. He also played keyboard and acoustic guitar on the album. "I had this real dragon lady for my first piano teacher," he laughed. "Thankfully I found a better one. It’s so important to teach kids to love music and have fun with it."
Robert knows he’s still learning and still having fun. In fact, just like another track on the album, he’s Still Got A Long Way To Go… and he’s loving the journey.
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