Charlie Cook On Air: Sandy and Radio

Last week I wrote about going to the Eric Church show in Washington, DC, a couple of nights before Hurricane Sandy. Of course, I knew at the time that Sandy was churning her way to the East Coast after doing a great deal of damage in the Caribbean.

I was in DC on Friday and Saturday and the weather was beautiful. Like most cynics, I thought that the forecasters were overestimating the potential damage. I mean, come on, who believes weather forecasters?

This is not news. They were right this time.

I got home to West Virginia early Sunday morning, and the newscasts were warning of snow as our contribution from Sandy. But Sunday was not a bad day and, after all, who believes weather forecasters?

Monday morning Sandy arrived and brought her cousin Frosty the Snow Devil.

Millions were surprised by the force of the storm, in conjunction with cold air from the north that dumped feet of snow on West Virginia and western Maryland. As I write this a week later schools are still closed, and thousands in West Virginia are still without power. The last number I heard about NY/NJ was that 3.5 million people are without power.

The stations that I work with here in West Virginia were all touched in some manner. Some for short periods of time and some for longer times. In most cases it was a loss of commercial power at transmitter and studio sites. Some of these sites are on top of mountains on the other side of scores of downed trees and drifts of snow. These roads up to the mountain tops are not easy to traverse in August, much less after storms.

The list of stations off the air included New York City and Washington DC—big markets, with redundancy in place in most cases. Yet this storm said, “Hah! I am the real king of all media.”

If you are in the radio business you know that silence is the worst sound. Radio people call it “dead air.”

Everyone jumps when there is dead air.

For no significant length of time were any of our home cities without service from at least one of our properties. If we had a problem with one signal, another in our cluster was serving the public. There were a dozen employees of West Virginia Radio Corp. that went way beyond the call of duty by trudging to snowbound sites to fill generators with fuel and helping clear roadways.

The FCC (not always a friend of radio) reported that broadcast radio performed better than cellular phone services, and that 25% of the cell towers in the area went out.

I didn’t experience any cell problems so I can’t tell you whether those who did are back online today.

There are still a lot of people without power. I heard from a number of listeners who went to their cars to listen so they could learn about shelters and where to find fuel.

Broadcast radio, like it always does, rose to the challenge and provided important information to those in harm’s way. So many in the radio industry have been asking cell phone manufacturers to include AM/FM in the phone. Maybe we would be better served investing in batteries that drive portable radios.

Join me in applauding the hundreds of radio engineers who worked their asses off to make sure the public was served in a time of need.

Just to be fair, not all broadcasters are to be applauded. I follow a particularly offensive internet radio host on Twitter. He and his listeners spent much of last week laughing at and berating East Coasters devastated by the storm. Treating their fellow Americans like dummies for where they live. This note from Karma: “I’m watching and listening.”

(The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of MusicRow)

Weekly Chart Report (11/9/12)

Josh Turner visited with syndicated host Whitney Allen at the DG studios during last week’s CMA Awards festivities.

SPIN ZONE
When you set the car to “Cruise,” you just let it ride, man. And Republic Nashville duo Florida Georgia Line’s breakout hit maintains its speed for a second week as MusicRow’s No. 1 song, followed by label mate Greg Bates’ “Did It For the Girl” and Rascal Flatts’ “Come Wake Me Up.” Closing in are Kip Moore’s “Beer Money” at No. 4, Darius Rucker’s “True Believers” at No. 6, and Brad Paisley’s “Southern Comfort Zone” at No. 7.

Speaking of Republic Nashville, have a look at The Band Perry’s “Better Dig Two.” The arena-sized murder ballad from the Perry siblings picks up the week’s biggest spin increase and launches from No. 55 to 28. “Better Dig Two” also leads the week in new adds with 42 stations pitching in. Also on the fast train to charttoppingsville are Hunter Hayes’ “Somebody’s Heartbreak” at No. 28 and Jason Aldean’s “The Only Way I Know How” with Eric Church and Luke Bryan, which pulls into the station at No. 36.

Leading the list of new songs is Toby Keith’s “Hope On the Rocks,” the title track to his latest album, which lands at No. 58. Toby also pulls in 23 new adds for the big debut. Others joining the chart include Lucky Ned Pepper’s “I Remember the Music,” John Karl’s “Redneck Rich,” Love and Theft’s “Running Out of Air,” and Logan Mize’s “Good Life.”

 Frozen Playlists: KSED, KVOM, KYKX, KYTN, WBKR, WEZJ, WKSR, WMEV, WXXK

Upcoming Singles
November 12
Amy Rose/I Just Want You to Know/Wild Rose
Aaron Lewis/Forever/Blaster
Mark Cooke/Stay With Me Tonight/CVR-Quarterback
Jason Aldean w/Luke Bryan & Eric Church/The Only Way I Know/BBR

November 19
Dustin Lynch/She Cranks My Tractor/Broken Bow Records

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 58
Lucky Ned Pepper/I Remember The Music/Nine North – 76
John Karl/Redneck Rich – 77
Love and Theft/Running Out Of Air/RCA Nashville – 79
Logan Mize/Good Life/Big Yellow Dog – 80

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
The Band Perry/Better Dig Two/Republic Nashville – 42
Jason Aldean/The Only Way I Know/Broken Bow – 37
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 23
George Strait/Give It All We Got/MCA – 23
Tim McGraw/One Of Those Nights/Big Machine – 20
Hunter Hayes/Somebody’s Heartbreak/Atlantic-WMN – 11
Kelly Clarkson w/ Vince Gill/Don’t Rush/19 Recordings-RCA Nashville – 10
Thompson Square/If I Didn’t Have You/Stoney Creek – 10

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
The Band Perry/Better Dig Two/Republic Nashville – 639
Jason Aldean/The Only Way I Know/Broken Bow – 587
Toby Keith/Hope On The Rocks/Show Dog-Universal – 343
George Strait/Give It All We Got/MCA – 317
Hunter Hayes/Somebody’s Heartbreak/Atlantic-WMN – 308

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Vince Hatfield/Sometimes You Gotta Get Away/Blue Moon – 218
Craig Campbell/Outta My Head/Bigger Picture – 196
Brooke Hudgins/80 Acres of Stars/VBC – 187
Michael Dean Church/Still Not Over You/MDC – 177
Steve Holy/Hauled Off And Kissed Me/Curb – 170

The Henningsens recently met up with KKBQ staffers in Houston. (L-R): Lesly Tyson (Arista Nashville VP), Aaron Henningsen, Johnny Chiang (KKBQ PD), Clara Henningsen, Christi Brooks (KKBQ MD), Brian Henningsen

Clay Walker recently visited KSON in San Diego in support of his latest single, "Jesse James," which lands at No. 34 on this week's MusicRow Chart. Pictured (L-R): Roger Fregoso (Sidewalk Records), Brooks O'Brian (KSON MD), Walker and Kevin Callahan (KSON PD)

Colt Ford and KNIX's morning show duo, Ben Campbell and Matt McAllister, stopped by Good Samaritan Hospital in Phoenix, AZ to visit Robert, who was unable to attend Ford’s show after being paralyzed in a recent work-related incident. Pictured (L-R): Ford, Robert, Campbell, McAllister.

‘Nashville’ Actor Charles Esten Makes Opry Debut

Charles Esten as Deacon Claybourne

Actor Charles Esten, who portrays the character Deacon Claybourne in the ABC series Nashville, is set to make his Grand Ole Opry debut tomorrow (11/10) at Nashville’s downtown Ryman Auditorium.

Original Nashville songs performed by Esten have sold nearly 150,000 downloads after hitting iTunes released by ABC Studios and Big Machine Records. He appears on  tracks such as “Undermine” featuring Hayden Panettiere; and “Back Home” and “No One Will Ever Love You” with Connie Britton.

While in college at William and Mary, Esten was lead singer/songwriter for a band called N’est Pas. He made his theatrical debut in London in the musical Buddy, portraying Buddy Holly. During this time Esten first appeared on the original British version of Whose Line Is It Anyway, becoming a recurring cast member and frequent song improviser. His credits include recurring roles on Big LoveEnlightenedThe OfficeER and films Swing VoteThirteen Days61, and The Postman.

Esten joins a list of artists scheduled for weekend Opry shows including Vince Gill, The Time Jumpers, Bobby Bare, Kelleigh Bannen, Jimmy Dickens, Ricky Skaggs, and more.

For tickets, visit opry.com.

Music City Songwriting Competition Now Accepting Submissions

The Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau has announced its sixth annual Music City Songwriting Competition, which officially got underway Nov. 2 and will accept entries through January 31, 2013. Little Big Town will serve as this year’s honorary ambassador.

The competition is open to amateur songwriters only. Writers can make submissions online or mail them to Music City Songwriting Competition, PO Box 190633, Nashville, TN 37219 USA. The first song costs $30 and each additional song is $20.

The winning songwriter will earn a $1000 cash price, two roundtrip tickets to Nashville, and hotel accommodations for five nights in downtown Nashville. Once in Nashville, the winner will be interviewed by Storme Warren for GAC and have a print feature in American Songwriter. Little Big Town will offer a mentoring session. Additionally, the winning writer will get a one-hour session with a professional songwriter and the opportunity to receive a single song publishing deal.

More info here.

Primetime ‘Nashville’: Episode 105

Cast members from “Nashville” were part of SESAC’s 30th anniversary salute to the legendary Bluebird Café, the setting for many scenes in the popular series. Pictured at the SESAC Nashville Music Awards on Oct. 28 (L-R): Todd Truley ("Marshall Evans"), Jonathan Jackson ("Avery Barkley"), Charles Esten ("Deacon Claybourne") and Sam Palladio ("Gunnar Scott"). Photo: Peyton Hoge

Episode 105, titled “Move It On Over” in honor of the Hank Williams classic.

Rayna stars in a cosmetics commercial.

Nashville needs a bombshell—and I’m not talking about Hayden Panettiere’s looks. Since its premiere, the show has set the stage for drama with plenty of juicy storylines, but fallen short with few gasp-worthy moments. Ratings ticked up slightly from last week’s season low (6 million/5.8 million), according to Zap2It.com. ABC has yet to order a full season of the sudsy drama.

Last night’s episode was packed with fantastic new music from the characters. Juliette (Panettiere) pulled an all-nighter in the studio while recording “Yellin’ From the Rooftop” (written by Busbee, Sarah Buxton).

Rayna starred in a beauty product commercial featuring her song “American Beauty” (Bob DiPiero, Jon Nite, Ross Copperman). But this led to the latest bump in her rocky relationship with Deacon, when the cosmetics maker wanted to change a lyric in the song she and Deacon wrote. At first he refused, but by the end of the episode he came around, hoping to give Rayna’s bank account a much needed boost. In another scene, Rayna nabbed lunch from the Riffs food truck downtown.

Deacon debuted “Sideshow” (Aaron Scherz, Brad Tursi) at the Bluebird, and Sam Bush was among the musicians accompanying him. When a drunk yelled out that he preferred Rayna’s singing, Deacon was clearly annoyed. He took out his frustrations by punching the guy in the parking lot and ended up in jail. Rayna refused to bail him out, but Juliette came to his rescue.

Click to see Juliette's awesome new digs in Oak Hill. Listed for $2.75 million.

After all, he’d saved her earlier in the episode. Juliette caught her druggie mom passed out in bed with a stranger, and Deacon, given his own struggles with addiction, convinced her to check into rehab. Rather than deal with the unpleasant memories tied to her current mansion, Juliette decided to move. In real life, Panettiere’s single “Telescope” has been released to radio by BMLG, and the video was recently directed by Taillight’s TK McKamy.

Meanwhile at South Circle Music, the fictional publishing company which signed Gunnar and Scarlett, producer Paul Worley was looking for songs for Lady Antebellum, although Worley and the band didn’t actually appear in the episode. Gunnar and Scarlett performed “Loving You is the Only Way to Fly” (Rodney Crowell, Sarah Buxton, Jedd Hughes) for the producer, but Avery hijacked the song with some super annoying guitar noodling and ruined their chances of getting the cut.

As the episode closed, Rayna recorded a song she wrote alone, “Buried Under” (Chris DeStefano, Natalie Hemby). During the final montage, we saw Mr. Rayna, err Teddy, meeting with old flame Peggy (played by Kimberly Williams Paisley). They are guilty of bank fraud in a property deal gone bad and are at risk of being exposed in more ways than one. The Feds are auditing the bank which could reveal their secret, and they are being followed and photographed by a private investigator.

Things to look forward to in coming weeks: The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach produced Rayna’s version of the Lucinda Williams song “Bitter Memory.” And Wyclef Jean will guest star.

Also, a special thanks to BMLG’s Amber Holguin for helping spotlight the songwriters behind the show’s music. If you have news about Nashville, email sskates@musicrow.com.

Holiday Express

Nettles on CMA Country Christmas.

CMA Country Christmas will receive multiple airings on ABC in the days leading up to Christmas: Thursday, Dec. 20 (9:00 PM/ET), Saturday, Dec. 22 (9:00) and Sunday, Dec. 23 (4:00 PM/ET). Hosted by Jennifer Nettles for the third year, the special features songs and stories by Dierks Bentley, Colbie Caillat, Katherine Jenkins, Lady Antebellum, John Legend, Little Big Town, Martina McBride, Scotty McCreery, Nettles, The Band Perry, and Keith Urban.

Trace Adkins will appear on the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday, Nov. 22. Also joining the festivities will be Colbie Caillat, Jimmy Fallon & The Roots, Flo Rida, Whoopi Goldberg, Chris Isaak, Carly Rae Jepsen, Mannheim Steamroller, Jennette McCurdy, Don McLean, Neon Trees and more.

Lady Antebellum is preparing for the holiday season with the premiere of a playful music video for “A Holly Jolly Christmas.” Directed by TK McKamy and shot in Nashville, the video follows a little boy at a holiday party on a mission to get his Christmas wish. Get a sneak peak here. The song is on Lady A’s collection On This Winter’s Night. The trio will perform with the symphony at the Schermerhorn Symphony Center Dec. 3 and GAC will air the concert Dec. 5 at 7 PM/CT.

An Average Joes Muddy Christmas features music by Colt Ford, The LACS, Montgomery Gentry, John Anderson and more.

• Among the new holiday singles are Craig Wayne Boyd’s “My Heart Melts,” Lorrie Morgan’s “Wrapped Up In Love,” and Erica Nicole’s “Come on a Sleigh Ride.”

Scotty McCreery is in the holiday spirit thanks to his new Christmas album. Gloriana, Jana Kramer and Brett Eldredge joined him to tape "Christmas With Scotty McCreery & Friends," premiering Saturday, Dec. 1, 11 p.m./EST on GAC. (L-R:) Brett Eldredge, Jana Kramer, Scotty McCreery, Gloriana’s Rachel Reinert, Tom Gossin, Mike Gossin. Credit: Ed Rode

McCreery Partners With Bojangles

Bojangles’ restaurant chain has announced a new partnership with American Idol star and Mercury Nashville artist Scotty McCreery, who will be featured in the company’s multimedia ad campaign.

As part of the campaign, fans can get a free song download of “First Noel,” “Jingle Bells” or “O Holy Night” from McCreery’s new album Christmas with Scotty McCreery. Cards with a unique download code will be available beginning Nov. 26.

TV spots and radio commercials include the singer’s “Water Tower Town” remixed as “Bojangles’ Town,” in addition to in-store posters and counter cards featured across the company’s 10-state footprint.

“I’m proud to partner with a great Southern brand like Bojangles’ that’s been such a big part of my life growing up in the Carolinas,” said McCreery.

McCreery, a longtime fan of Bojangles, has previously been seen sporting an “It’s Bo Time!” t-shirt and eating Bojangles’ meals throughout his time on American Idol.

The young singer recently wrapped with Brad Paisley’s Virtual Reality Tour 2012, and is currently pursuing his undergraduate degree at N.C. State University.

Initial MerleFest 2013 Lineup Announced

The late Doc Watson and his musical legacy will figure prominently into MerleFest 2013, scheduled for April 25-28 on the campus of Wilkesboro Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. The popular annual roots music festival (or “traditional plus,” in Watson’s words) was founded in honor of Watson’s son Eddy Merle, who passed away in 1985.

“This year’s festival will celebrate the life and music of our dear friend Doc Watson, who passed away on May 29,” says Ted Hagaman, MerleFest director. “For the past 25 years he has been the artistic and spiritual center of this festival, so this year, we will come together as a family to pay special tribute to the man and the musician who meant so much to us all.”

Headliners initially announced for the event include Charlie Daniels Band, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and a special all-star tribute to the late Watson assembled by mandolin virtuoso Sam Bush. Also scheduled to play are Matraca Berg, The Greencards, Jerry Douglas, Jim Lauderdale, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, The Quebe Sisters Band, Bryan Sutton, Rhonda Vincent & The Rage, and many more.

“This initial lineup shows that the festival will definitely live up to its ‘traditional plus’ motto, with a strong collection of internationally-known touring artists from many genres, as well as a collection of local North Carolina folk and bluegrass artists,” says Steve Johnson, MerleFest artist relations manager. “And, MerleFest fans know, as the lineup continues to develop in the coming months, it will offer quite a few surprises – let’s just say it’s going to be a big year!”

Tickets go on sale November 13. See the full lineup here.

Chesney Announces Stadiums for 2013 Tour

Kenny Chesney has announced 17 stadium dates for his 2013 No Shoes Nation Tour, which kicks off March 16 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, FL.

The tour offers a variety of special guests including Eric Church, Eli Young Band, Kacey Musgraves and Zac Brown Band (see dates below). Additional dates will be added in the coming months.

“I believe what we’ve created on the road is something special,” says Chesney, “the fans, myself, the band, the crew. But it’s really the fans who have given us a wonderful, unique life.”

Once again, the tour offers VIP packages from CID Entertainment including hotel and shuttle accommodations, Sandbar or Premium Reserved seating entrances and exits, access to the pre-game tailgate party, and new gift items.

For on-sale information, visit https://tickets.kennychesney.com.

Chesney, who’s played an impressive 85 stadiums over his 20-year career, is a finalist for Billboard’s ‘Top Package’ Award at tonight’s (11/8) Touring Awards, which he has received six-times prior. The recognition marks the year’s top-grossing tour overall for which Chesney’s The Brothers Of the Sun grossed roughly $100 million.

No Shoes Nation Dates:

Mar 16 – Tampa, FL -­ Raymond James Stadium^
May 4 – Columbia, SC – Williams Brice Stadium*
May 11 – Dallas, TX — Dallas Cowboys Stadium^
May 18 – Milwaukee, WI — Miller Park^
May 25 – Landover, MD — FedExField^
Jun 1 -­ Seattle, WA ­ CenturyLink Field^
Jun 8 – Philadelphia, PA — Lincoln Financial Field^
Jun 15 – Kansas City, MO — Arrowhead Stadium^
Jun 22 – Pittsburgh, PA ­- Heinz Field^
Jun 29 – Columbus, OH ­ Crew Stadium^
Jul 12 – Minneapolis, MN — Target Field*
Jul 20 – Denver, CO — Sports Authority Field at Mile High^
Jul 27 – Anaheim, CA — Angels Stadium^
Aug 3 – Atlanta, GA — Georgia Dome*
Aug 10 – East Rutherford, NJ — MetLife Stadium^
Aug 17 – Detroit, MI — Ford Field^
Aug 24 – Foxboro, MA — Gillette Stadium^

* with Zac Brown Band, Eli Young Band, and Kacey Musgraves
^ with Eric Church, Eli Young Band, and Kacey Musgraves

Tracy Lawrence to Host 7th Annual “Mission Possible” Turkey Fry

The 7th Annual “Mission Possible” Turkey Fry, hosted by Tracy Lawrence, takes place 8 am – 5 pm Tuesday, Nov. 20 in the parking lot of the Nashville Rescue Mission (639 Lafayette Street). This year’s mission is to fry over 500 turkeys for Nashville’s homeless and hungry.

“The Nashville Rescue Mission is a blessing to our community,” says Lawrence. “Each year I am humbled by the outpouring of support from friends who give their time to be part of the Turkey Fry. This special day allows us the opportunity to help raise awareness of the great services the Mission provides everyday to the homeless and those in need.”

Since launching in 2006, the “Mission Possible” turkey fry has brought in nearly 6,000 turkeys and provided more than 35,000 meals to help Nashville Rescue Mission. Lawrence routinely gets assistance from his celebrity friends for the event, and this year Tennessee Titans kicker Rob Bironas and the Titan Cheerleaders will be present.

The event is free and open to the public, and donations are appreciated. More information here.