Feel Good Story

I looked up the definition of curmudgeon in the dictionary, and here's what I found:

"An ill-tempered person, especially one who is habitually stubborn or grouchy."

Somehow, Morris Management Group's Scot Michaels' picture did not accompany the above explanation.

Probably just an oversight.

Yes, Scot can be cantankerous and opinionated (ya think?). Like that July 15th, 2017 Facebook post following a difficult flight: "Hey morons, why don't you leave your little brats at home and keep them OFF flying machines. Hitting people with a bad knee, telling old people in wheel chairs that gray hair is ugly, and throwing temper tantrums is NOT the way to raise your damn kids. And what do the entitled parents do? Laugh. Next time you want to go to Wally World, take the family truckster, and teach your angels some MANNERS."

But, here's the actual thing about curmudgeons: Underneath the crusty facade, they're actually the sweetest people you'll meet. And that explains how Scot has so many friends in our business. He knows everybody. He's likely met every Country PD and MD, and been to every radio market in America, no doubt having driven – not flown – to most of them.

Scot is a radio aficionado and Country music historian, thanks to his background in radio – working as MD for the legendary KUZZ/Bakersfield, back when owner and Country Music Hall of famer Buck Owens was alive and took a very active role in day-to-day programming for the place. Having spent 15 years with Kenny Chesney's label, BNA, working practically every single since Chesney's signing, he's the world's biggest KC advocate – times 50, evidenced by his September 12th, 2017 Facebook post: "Kenny Chesney is one of the GREATEST human beings on this planet!!!! Case Closed!!"

Boom!

I alluded to his driving earlier; during his 15 years with BNA Records – and since then, in his time with Morris Management – his road trips have been the stuff of legend. It's nothing for Scot to rent a car and put 1,000 miles or more on it in less than a week. Not long after a radio dinner in Des Moines, Scot could be back in the car, headed to Kansas City as part of a trek that likely started at his home in Colorado – if, in fact, he actually HAS a real home in Colorado…or anywhere. Most of us believe he's lived on the road all these years. Perhaps IN his car.

To say Scot has given every bit of himself to this business – and more – is possibly the biggest understatement ever. This man has survived a kidney transplant and countless allergy attacks which have led to ER and trauma room visits. Oh, and did I mention cancer? Yep, he survived it. Well, most of him did, anyway. Except for his left leg. After years of trying to save it, Scot's doctors recently insisted on taking it off for good, so he could, you know, keep living.

And yet, in spite of Scot's curmudgeonly reputation, he shared this with us back in August, quoting McDonald's founder Ray Kroc: "'Nothing in this world can take the place of good old PERSISTENCE!' What great words to live by no matter what we choose to do in life."

So, last week, the leg came off. Soon after, Scot found himself in a rehab facility in Denver, where he is … persisting. A cryptic, somewhat alarming post upon his arrival there last Friday (10/13) had friends worried. Many reached out with words of encouragement and concern, including yours truly.

I caught up with Scot Tuesday morning (10/17) and found him upbeat, optimistic, and quoting Lou Gehrig's famous farewell speech: "I'm the luckiest guy alive now!" Two things are driving him nuts, currently. "You can't get anything done here," Scot grumbled. Also, that phenomenon known as phantom pain in an amputated limb is real, he explained. "I still feel like I have a leg there, and that's my biggest issue."

But his family is there, some friends are visiting, and others not close by are reaching out in waves. I asked if he needed anything specific, as many of his hundreds of friends have inquired. "What means more to me than anything like that, is people just caring – more than things. And I promise, I will get through all the email!"

Scot says he'll be at the rehab facility for another week or so learning how to get around minus a leg for a while. Then, he's back home for more therapy, and, eventually, off to Vanderbilt University in Nashville to be fitted for a prosthetic leg.

He didn't tell me this, but I heard from another source: Scot will actually be back to work soon, doing promotion on the next Kenny Chesney single, a duet with David Lee Murphy. Are any of us the least bit shocked by that?

Persistence.

A couple of things:

1. Here's the address where Scot is staying: Colorado Acute Long-Term Hospital, Room 203. 1690 N. Meade Street, Denver, 80204.

2. We all have legendary stories about Scot Michaels that have accumulated throughout the years. Instead of me reaching out to all his friends (that could take weeks!) and pulling them together, I'm asking you to share yours in the comments section below, or on the Facebook link where this will appear. Let's blow this up!

I know your stories will cheer Scot up. He and I shared a few that go back to my time in San Antonio while programming KCYY. For some reason, Scot covered that market. I think at that point (late 90s), Scott didn't have a specific region, he had certain people; I was one of them. He'd blow into town, having listened to both KCYY and our competitor, KAJA (in the car, naturally), and deliver a full market analysis of which of us sounded better – according to Scot. He did not pull punches. He wasn't an asshole about it, but he was blunt. Scot was comfortable discussing a deep-dive into nuts and bolts formatics on either station, or a 30,000-foot, philosophical conversation about the state of Country music, Country radio, or radio in general. Every visit was fascinating; not all of them focused on music, but he always left you with the gist of what his musical priorities were for the label.

So, let's have 'em. All your Scot Michaels stories. You know you've got more than one. And, you know it will brighten his spirits.

Because, even though a so-called curmudgeon would never admit it, they love being cheered up a little bit.