Toby Keith respects your opinion ... as long as you know what you're talking about. After years of working with major record labels, the country superstar now has complete creative control as the owner of his own label, Show Dog Nashville. Keith, who writes and produces all of his own music, says he's grateful no one can boss him around about his music anymore.

"For so long I've struggled with creating stuff and having success, and then having people that can't do what you do telling you what to do," Keith tells the 'ACM Tempo.' "If Willie Nelson is going to critique one of my songs, then I'm going to listen, but I'm not listening to some jackass who came up through the mailroom and can't rhyme 'blue' with 'hue.'"

Playing by his own rules has certainly paid off. Keith ranked No. 3 on Forbes magazine's list of the world's best-paid music stars, with earnings last year of $48 million.