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The superstar still has some steam to let off about: 1) those who called Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue a redneck rant, 2) his losing streak at award shows, and 3) the country industry in general.
As for the other musicians who said his reaction song to the 9/11 terrorist attacks lacked class with lyrics such as "And you'll be sorry that you messed with The U.S. of A. 'Cause we'll put a boot in your ass" -- Keith simply says, "They can just go to hell. I don't care about them.
"I've never criticized other artists' work, but I live in America ... they got their right to say that, just as much as I've got my right to write it," says Keith, who plays the Saddle- dome Jan. 24.
"(Courtesy) was huge for the people it was written for and the people it wasn't written for they can just, uh ... lump it and change channels."
The Oklahoma-native plans to play the hit on his Canadian tour, but experience north of the border have taught him to put a twist into it.
"I was a little surprised and anxious to see what kind of reception I would get in Canada after Peter Jennings and I had our little fiasco," he says about the misunderstanding over Keith's involvement in a July 4 TV special hosted by the ABC-anchor who thought the song was too angry.
"So I got up there (Camrose's Big Valley Jamboree) and there were a bunch of Canadian soldiers just back from Afghanistan and they wanted to hear Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue," recalls Keith.
While on stage, Keith changed the lyrics on the fly to Courtesy of the Red and White, and Red, White and Blue.
Courtesy and Keith have been nominated for several awards this past year, but Keith didn't manage to take home much hardware. Most of it went to Alan Jackson and his Where Were You (When the World Stopped Turning).
So is Keith sick of Jackson yet?
"Nah, Alan's a good dude," he laughs.
"My fans are so good and loyal. The second I get shutout of an award show or they feel I've been mistreated ... it endears them to me. When I have a bad day, they always bring me right around."
However, he does find it odd that he was "nominated for eight ACMs, eight CMAs, two AMAs and one Billboard award, and the Billboard award, which actually counts airplay spins, is the only one I won. I'll give them a few more chances but award shows may not be part of my game."
Keith knows he's partly at fault for the empty space on his trophy shelf.
"Well, I probably bring a lot of it upon myself. I don't live there (Nashville) and I'm not afraid to speak my mind. I try to take the high-road as much as possible, but I'm not afraid to dig in and get ugly if I have to," says Keith, who still calls Oklahoma home.
"I'm not doing that political handshake everyday. There's a lot of things you have to do to be the posterboy -- you know what I mean. I'm not willing to be that guy.
"So, if they (the industry) give me something, I appreciate it ... but if I don't get it, it doesn't change what I do out here.
"The worst thing that could probably happen to me right now, is for the industry to give me everything because then they wouldn't owe me anything!"
Keith can afford to be cocky. His record sales are impressive -- his latest Unleashed is still No. 10 on the Canadian charts after 25 weeks and Pull My Chain is No. 28 after 72 weeks. He ranked sixth among the top concert earners in 2002, and was the top country act.
When the Sun caught him on the phone this week, he was on a break from shooting his next video (Whiskey for My Men) Beer For My Horse with the legendary Willie Nelson.
The "very urban" video has Willie playing Keith's dad and Keith tracking a serial killer.
"His (Nelson's) sense of humour is outrageous," Keith says of his mentor.
"He has so much fun and he's tougher than hell. We stuck him on a horse yesterday that started bucking and he took it like a man."
The other person he likes to heap praise on is his daughter Krystal, 17. Keith is married to Tricia and has another daughter Shelley, 22 and son Stelen, 5.
"The middle daughter will be a tremendous songwriter and hit-maker. She's going to finish high school and college, but she's got a great voice ... and she'll be incredible."
So is he worried about his little girl entering the business that has given him such a rough ride?
"I hope I make it easier on her and I hope I make it a little easier for her than I had it.
"I don't think it will be hard for her because I'm going to give her lots of opportunities other girls can't get."
One of those opportunities will be the chance to tour with her dad. But don't look for her in Canada; Keith says they aren't quite ready yet.