From auction barns to the Cowboy Channel, McKee connects audiences with grit and authentic storytelling
by Kim Redo-ThackerPhotos courtesy of Justin McKee
Raised on faith, family and rodeo, Justin McKee absorbed it all. A descendant of pioneers who came to the Kansas/Oklahoma border under the 1862 Homestead Act, McKee was born to parents who grew up in Craig and Nowata counties in northeast Oklahoma. His father was a cattle order buyer and owned two sale barns, so travel was the norm. Being raised in the livestock auction barn set the stage.
“The first time I talked into a mic I was probably three or four years old. I was fascinated with the sound I made,” McKee remembers. With practice and study, he later became an auctioneer. Living behind a microphone came naturally to the young man. He loved it, and the crowds reciprocated.
During his school years he continued to follow the cowboy life. He was a member of the Future Farmers of America in high school, serving as state president from 1987-88. As a senior, he was the announcer for his chapter’s junior rodeo. Next was a job at the high school rodeo. He would announce, compete, then get back to the announcer’s stand. With a microphone in hand and a rodeo going on in front of him, McKee found that he loved this neighborhood more than the auction business.
Growing up surrounded by cowboys and horsemen, Justin naturally wanted to be a cowboy, ride bulls and rope.
“My parents didn’t rodeo but were big fans,” he says. “My dad knew how badly I wanted to ride bulls, so he brought home a dwarf bull from one of the sales. I was 5 years old when I rode my first bull.”
He had other rural interests such as hunting and fishing, which he still enjoys today when his schedule allows. As a youngster, he mostly rode bulls. He got into steer roping later along with calf roping and team roping.
“When I was in college at Kansas State I met my wife, Jeannie. She was transferring to Oklahoma State, so I transferred there.”
As fate would have it, he married into a rodeo family. His wife’s connections to the professional rodeo world provided the impetus for McKee to make the jump from announcing college rodeos to the pro circuit.
Jeannie’s father was a professional steer roper. Her uncle was Howard Chouteau “Shoat” Webster — the four-time world champion steer roper who also racked up wins in tie-down roping and steer wrestling. McKee himself landed in the top 35 for several years in steer roping, once placing 18th in the world standings. He still holds the record in the event at Cheyenne.
The path to McKee’s future was right in front of him, and he charged straight into it. He studied the contestants, learned their stories and delivered them to the crowd, which responded to his energy and authenticity.
He strove to give his audiences an intimate connection to the cowboys and cowgirls. Following mentorship with rodeo announcer/master storyteller Clem McSpadden in the 1990s, he started announcing for the professional rodeo circuit. He credits McSpadden and Bob Tallman with helping shape his career. Before long, he was selected to announce events for Professional Bull Riders. He spent 17 years on the road, hosting PBR events and serving as a television announcer for a decade before stepping away in 2010.
With such a busy schedule, it would be easy to assume he had little time to take on anything new. Yet in 2019, he partnered with Patrick Gottsch to help launch the immensely popular Cowboy Channel, a move that prompted his relocation to Texas in 2020. He continues to work there full time.
For McKee, there’s no real line between work and play. “Hobbies are my work. I have such an enjoyable job. I spend all of my free time doing book work, studying and researching,” he says.
His deep respect for the sport and its competitors helps him connect audiences with the contestants. The energy he brings to his storytelling keeps listeners on the edge of their seats.
Like the greats before him, McKee is setting the standard for up-and-coming rodeo announcers. But his reach extends beyond the arena. Companies and organizations hire him as a keynote speaker for leadership, sales training and communication workshops. He also offers clinics in corporate leadership and effective communication. Currently, he has more than 100 students in his broadcast clinics. “This venture has been super successful,” he shares.
McKee is a man of true grit. His infectious drive to share the rodeo-cowboy life brings audiences closer to the sport and its competitors. The enthusiasm he shares keeps on giving, and he is the very essence of a gentleman who genuinely loves life. Through his energy and storytelling, everyone can experience a taste of the cowboy way of life — even if only vicariously.
After 25 years in Lenapah, Oklahoma, McKee moved to central Texas, where he and his wife raise a few horses and Black Angus cattle. For more information about his clinics or keynote speaking, visit JustinMcKeeNow.com.
