Imagine being only 19 years old and being asked personally by Toby Keith to be his opener for a few shows — and then saying no because the payment offer was too low.
That is exactly what Corey Kent is saying happened over a decade ago.
At 19, Corey Kent Told Toby Keith His $500 Offer Was Too Low
Country newcomer Corey Kent tells Whiskey Riff that around 2014, when Kent was 19 years-old, he stood up to Keith and had the cojones to ask for more money to do what most up-and-coming musicians would probably do for free.
“I want to say I was about…19 years-old,” Kent recounts. “And one of the guys that was working for Toby’s management had heard some of my stuff and knew I was from Oklahoma, kind of put my music in front of Toby.”
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“Toby liked my music, and so they said, ‘Hey, we want you to come open these shows. We got 500 bucks, and you can play for 500 bucks each of these nights,'” he continues.
What Did Corey Kent Say to Toby Keith When Turning Down His Offer to Open For Him?
Kent says “I was like, ‘I would love to do it. I need you to tell Toby I need 1,000 bucks.’ And the guy was like, ‘Are you kidding me?’ And I was like, ‘No, I think I’m worth 1,000 bucks.'”
For any country artist, opening for Keith in his prime would be special, and it was for Kent, but he wanted to show Keith that he knew his worth, something Keith ultimately respected.
The “Wild As Her” singer said “[The management representative] calls me back and he says, ‘Man, you got some balls.’ And he goes, ‘Toby loved that you counter-offered him. He said yes.”
Keith showed how much he respected the counter-offer by doubling not only the money per show for Kent, but upping the offer from three shows to six.
How Long Does an Opener Usually Play at a Country Concert?
At most country concerts, an opener usually will play for around 20 minutes or so before the headliner and they get to play in front of a whole new audience that are there for the headliner and may have not yet heard the openers music before.
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