Reinvention, rebranding, regrouping — no one embodies these words quite like rock legend Ron Keel. We hear them a lot these days. The changing landscape of the media business forces us to re-evaluate what we once knew. And how we once did things. We have been told “Change is good”, good perhaps, but not easy.
I’m always fascinated to have conversations with those who have a vision and can execute it. I’ve had some really interesting guests on my Carr Stereo Podcast since starting it in September of 2025. One of the most surprising and enterprising of the 50 episodes I’ve done is Ron Keel. Does the name sound familiar to 80’s rock fans?
Ron is the frontman for the band Keel, best known for their 80’s anthem “The Right To Rock.” They were one of the first hair bands played on MTV, and the network even used the band in their promotional trailers for years. Keel released seven albums.
Ron also took a stab at country music in the 90’s, which he still does successfully, and was christened “The Metal Cowboy.”
Inside Ron Keel’s RFK Media
What fascinated me most about Ron Keel was his 2022 pivot from singer to music mogul and his formation of RFK Media. It is a record label and multimedia company that not only releases his music and select reissues from his back catalog, but is also home to a slew of new bands, including Bad Marriage, Cold Sweat, Generation Landslide, and more.
RFK Media also hosts KRFK Radio, Ron’s personal station that delivers hair metal, new music, and syndicated music shows hosted by rock legends Dee Snider and Joe Elliott. RFK also released a movie in 2025 and a “Metal Cowboy” comic book. Lots to unpack. Why does Ron do it? Because he believes in it — the connection, the community, the creative process.
I loved stepping into “Keel World” for a chat with the Metal Cowboy. It was about rock, reinvention, and putting the fans first. And creating a home for bands to rock and be heard.
Ron Keel In His Own Words
*Editor’s Note: Answers have been edited for clarity and length.*
Terrie Carr: Well, I talked to you just before we got going and I said you are like the king of reinvention. What aren’t you doing? You’ve got your own multimedia company, a podcast, a radio station, which I highly admire — that’s incredible. There are re-releases of your classic albums, and you’ve got comic books, your movie, your multi-vignette horror movie, and it’s super cool.
There’s just so much going on with you. I also want to touch on that picture behind you — “Ronnie Lee Keel” in your country days. It’s so funny because I remember that episode of VH1’s Where Are They Now? They kind of made fun of you! But think about it now. You were a visionary 30 years ago, thinking the rock world might move into another lane and that country was catching fire. You wanted to reinvent and be a part of it. Do you feel like you got the last laugh?
Ron Keel: Absolutely. My country career, my metal career, my rock career — all of those reinventions have been part of my personal and musical evolution. I’ve never subtracted anything. I just keep adding to my toolbox, my resume, and my body of work. I’m very proud of each phase and each era. To have been part of that 80’s Hollywood revolution with Keel and Steeler — two cornerstone hair bands of that era — was something special.
Going into the 90’s, I was wondering what to do next. The record deal was gone, No more beach house, no more sports cars. I had to sing, create, write songs, and entertain people. It was that simple. My urge to create and entertain is at the core of everything I do. In the early 90’s, the songs coming out of me were no longer about sex, drugs, and rock and roll, but about real life — emotions, heartbreak, chasing women, and drinking beer.
A lot of those common elements exist in 80’s metal too. So I embraced that art form and that format. I grew up in Georgia and moved to Nashville at 17, so country music was always close to me. And it wasn’t as simple as just putting on a hat. You don’t just put on a hat and suddenly you’re country. You don’t walk out into a rodeo arena full of 10,000 country fans and pretend. Because they’ll kick your ass, throw things at you, and you will not make it from the stage to the bus!
Terrie Carr: Your newest release, Keel World — I think there are so many facets of who you are as an artist. And none of this is a money grab for you. Just looking at your media company, RFK Media, I can tell these are labors of love. They sustain you not only as an artist, but as a human being and as a man.
“I work my ass off every day. I’ve done it for the last 50 years. And yeah, it’s a labor of love.”
Ron Keel: Well, I appreciate that — what a great compliment. And it is. But I think every job, and this is my job, involves making money. You go to work to get paid, right? I go to work and I work my ass off every day. I’ve done it for the last 50 years. And yeah, it’s a labor of love. I do it because I love it. I have a drive to create and entertain. But if it doesn’t make a profit, then it’s a hobby. Music has never been a hobby to me. It’s always been a way of life — my business, my job. It put my kids through college and paid the bills up to this present day.
I’m very thankful to have a life and career that has enabled me to pay the bills and use that revenue to fuel the creativity that drives me. And I think that’s a lesson for us all. When you feel something deeply and keep doing it, and someone tries to take it away from you, you’re going to say, “No — that’s not happening.” You’re going to find another way, and you’ll get just as much satisfaction, if not more, doing it at this phase in your life.
Want to learn more about Ron’s reinvention and RFK Media? They are always looking for talented artists for Ron’s record label. Check out my full chat with Ron Keel — Welcome to Keel World and RFK Media.
Keel — The Right To Rock
Full Carr Stereo Episodes — TerrieCarr.com
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