Weekly Register: Please Release Me…

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The first quarter sales theme remains the same this week. Actually, spell it weak, because that best describes country’s timid YTD release schedule.
A glance at the Country Current Top 75 shows there are only three 2013 releases even in the Top 20!: Tim McGraw (No. 2; 178k RTD), Gary Allan (No. 6; 206k RTD) and Randy Houser (No. 13; 55k RTD). In fact, YTD country album sales are now down a disturbing -5% compared with the same period last year. (All-genre album sales are during even worse, down -7.2%)
weeklygrid2-24-13So while a big chunk of the inaction at weekly registers (according to Nielsen SoundScan) is most certainly due to a lack of binbuster albums, it is also surely the result of shrinking shelf space, and growing scarcity of physical product in the stores. Digital download album sales are growing both as absolute numbers and as a percentage of total album sales, but is that enough to compensate stakeholders for the physical losses? (As the Weekly Grid shows, country digital album sales are ahead almost 30%.)
weeklygrid2-17-13Figuring The Math
So how does the math work? Last year after 8 weeks, country had sold 5.739 million albums compared with 5.451 million this year. That is a drop of .288 million or about a $2.88 million dollar shortfall using a retail average of $10.
Tracks are up however. 2013 country track sales increased to 27.4 million vs. 25.7 million in 2012 or a difference of 1.7 million tracks at $1.29 which equals $2.2 million. Cutting the loss in album revenue by the gain in track revenue leaves us with an estimated combined album and track revenue shortfall of about $700k YTD. Of course not all tracks are sold for $1.29 and not all albums sell at $10 anymore. (Current album releases will usually sell for more than catalog which can exacerbate the revenue problems from a slow release schedule.)
Returning to our example however, since about 12% of the year’s total country album sales are realized within the $700k loss, when expanded to represent a full year the shortfall could actually end up being about 8 times larger or around $5.6 million.
This is a good reason to start priming the release pump. (See the upcoming release schedule and how it heats up at the end of March, here.)
Or as they used to say in record label executive class 101, you have to put out records if you are going to make money.
Tracking
Country tracks hold few major surprises this week in the upper reaches. Labelmates Blake Shelton and Hunter Hayes switched places in the top two spots with Mr. Shelton on top this week. Lady Antebellum’s “Downtown” is zig zagging through chart positions but has surprisingly lost downloads since it debuted in the No. 2 position with about 72k downloads three weeks ago. (Last week it moved to No. 7 with 47k and this week it is at No. 4 with 46k.)
The late Mindy McCready surfaced on the country tracks list with “Ten Thousand Angels” (No. 31; 12k) and “Guys Do It All The Time” (No. 39; 10k). Also noteworthy is Florida Georgia Line holding the No. 8 and No. 9 positions for “Cruise” (41k) and “Get Your Shine On” (40k), respectively.
Play The Video
So let’s end this week’s column with the legendary Engelbert Humperdinck singing his immortal favorite… “Please Release Me…” and hope it puts label marketing departments in the mood…

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Taylor Swift Adds "Red Tour" Artists

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taylor swift red1Florida Georgia Line, Joel Crouse, Brett Eldredge and Casey James have been added as guests to Taylor Swift’s upcoming The Red Tour, which opens on March 13 in Omaha, Neb.
Crouse will join for 11 shows, Eldredge will open for 14 shows, Florida Georgia Line will perform for seven shows and James will perform in an opening slot for 14 concerts. Austin Mahone will join the bill for stadium shows. They join previously announced tourmate Ed Sheeran.
Swift’s Red tour will include 58 shows in 45 cities.
 
 

LifeNotes: Shelton Harrison

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Shelton Harrison

Shelton Harrison


Prominent concert promoter Shelton Harrison has died in Nashville, Tenn. at age 78. He died on Thursday (Feb. 21) following a long battle with cancer. Services were held on Monday (Feb. 25) at Williamson Memorial Gardens in Franklin, Tenn.
During his most active 20 years of concert promotion, he worked with numerous artists, including Marty Robbins, Dottie West, Kenny Rogers, Tom T. Hall, Larry Gatlin, Ronnie Milsap, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Hank Williams, Jr., The Bama Band, Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, T.G. Sheppard, Carl Perkins, Chet Atkins, Jerry Reed, Ed Bruce, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Charley Pride, Shelly West, David Frizzell, Mel Tillis, Jim Ed Brown, Helen Cornelius, Brenda Lee, Jeannie Sealy, Mel McDaniel, Dolly Parton, Porter Wagoner, Vern Gosdin, Donna Fargo, Jean Shepard, Tanya Tucker, Johnny Cash, Don Williams, Barbara Mandrell, Louis Mandrell, Janie Frickie, Charlie Rich, Charlie Daniels, Justin Timberlake and others.
In addition to promoting traditional concerts and concert venues, Harrison innovated new events that served to expand the reach of country music while also benefiting public charities. One event was his 1976 creation of the Shelton Harrison Pro-Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit St. Jude Hospital, which featured golfers such as U.S. Open champion Lou Graham and other sports celebrities including Stan Musial and Bear Bryant.
Harrison was also a former Golden Gloves champion and professional boxer. He is survived by his wife of 52 years, Brucene; daughter, Camille; and son, Shelley.
 

Carrie Underwood's Blown Away Tour Live on AXS TV

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carrie-underwood-blown-away1Carrie Underwood‘s “The Blown Away Tour” will be featured on AXS TV for a live full concert performance from Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. on Sunday (March 3). Carrie Underwood “Blown Away Tour” LIVE 2013 will begin at 11:45 p.m. ET and will be available via DIRECTV Channel 340, DISH Network Channel 362, AT&T U-Verse Channel 1106 and Verizon FiOS Channel 569.
Underwood says, “I’ve had the opportunity to play in so many wonderful cities and venues on this tour and still have many more to go, but I am so excited that AXS TV has given us the opportunity to be able to share the concert experience live with fans at home. It’s going to be a great night!”
“Carrie Underwood and AXS TV share two undeniable traits: a love for live music and passionate country music fans. I am thrilled to personally welcome Carrie to the AXS TV cadre of live LIVE artists. Fans will not be disappointed by the front row seat we give them to The Blown Away Tour on March 3rd,” said AXS TV Chairman Mark Cuban.
“The Blown Away Tour” Live 2013 is not Underwood’s first appearance on AXS TV. She gave the network’s nightly live music news, trends and interview program, AXSLive, an exclusive backstage interview and live look in to “The Blown Away Tour” when it stopped at Los Angeles’ Staples Center,  located in the heart of the network’s home campus, L.A. LIVE.

Watch the AXSLive backstage interview with Carrie Underwood.

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Performers For ACM Weekend at Fremont Street

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acmeventsPerformers for the ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience were announced today (Feb. 28). The seventh annual event will take place Friday and Saturday, April 5 and 6. The two nights of free, open-to-the-public concerts in downtown Las Vegas at Fremont Street will be hosted by Blair Garner. They kick off at 9:00 p.m. with performances on two stages.
The ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience is part of The Week Vegas Goes Country, which leads up to the ACM Awards, to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena Sunday, April 7 on CBS. Other events include ACM Party for a Cause and The ACM Experience.
Schedule for ACM Weekend at Fremont Street Experience
Friday, April 5, 2013—headliner Gary Allan, with performances by Sunny Sweeney, Joe Nichols and Kip Moore
Saturday, April 6, 2013—headliner Jake Owen, with performances by Chris Janson, Randy Houser, and Jana Kramer

On The Cover: Love and Theft (Feb/Mar 2013)

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coverlovetheftLove and Theft may be celebrating the release of their second studio album, but to the ACM-nominated country duo, the self-titled release might as well be their first.
And in a way, it is. Love and Theft is Stephen Barker Liles and Eric Gunderson’s first album since joining RCA Nashville, the home to many of their musical inspirations. “We feel like people will be hearing us for the first time,” says Eric.
Stephen agrees and credits the label’s storied history with helping to reenergize the band. “The history of RCA Records is incredible. Just knowing that we are on the same label as some of our biggest influences, like Elvis Presley, is an awesome feeling.”
That excitement is palpable throughout the 11 songs that comprise the album, a fluid mix of country melodies and sing-along choruses, all driven by Eric’s earthy voice and Stephen’s high-altitude tenor. The guys share lead vocals, harmonize like a church choir and bolster their songs with their own guitar playing. “We sound like brothers when we sing,” says Eric. “Stephen and I have always been on the same page as far as the vision for the band, and we feel like we have made the record we’ve always wanted to make.”
Produced by Josh Leo (Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirty Band), Love and Theft is a nod to the duo’s varied influences. The rollicking first single “Angel Eyes”—which scored the twosome their first CMT Music Awards nomination for Duo Video of the Year—brings to mind Elvis Presley’s “(You’re the) Devil in Disguise.” The pair is equally enthusiastic about “Runnin’ Out of Air,” a tune they describe as “Maroon 5 meets the Eagles.”
Stephen and Eric’s experiences growing up in the Bible Belt help inform the new album, especially on the wild-child single “Angel Eyes,” which Eric co-wrote with Eric Paslay and Jeff Coplan. “Preacher’s kids seem to have the most rebellious side and get in trouble more,” Eric admits with a laugh. “That was kind of the inspiration for that. We wrote it from a personal place.”
With a renewed emphasis on organic sounds, their second album has brought Love and Theft closer to what it set out to be: a band that writes, records and performs honest, soulful country music.
“This record represents the way we sound live,” says Stephen, before—like the musical brothers they are—Eric completes the thought. “It shows a more mature, evolved Love and Theft but the core is still the same,” he says. “Our sound will always be driven by harmonies.”
Artist Name: Love and Theft
Label: RCA Nashville
Current Album: Love and Theft
Current Single: “Runnin’ Out of Air”
Current Video: “Runnin’ Out of Air”
Current Producer: Josh Leo (Alabama, Nitty Gritty Dirty Band)
Hometown: Eric: Matthews, N.C.; Stephen: Palm Harbor, Fla.
Management: Vector Management
Booking: CAA
Recent Hits: Gold-Certified, No.1 hit “Angel Eyes,” and current single, “Runnin’ Out of Air.”
Awards: The duo has been ACM, ACA, CMA and CMT-nominated
RIAA Certs to date: Gold-Certified, No.1 hit “Angel Eyes”
Special TV/Film Appearances: CBS Morning Show
Birthdays: Stephen: January 24th; Eric: December 21st
Interesting Facts:  
Eric: I have a strange fear of turtles and one of my thumbs is a lot shorter than the other
Stephen: I love all forms of art
Outside Interests:
Eric: Hunting, fishing, running, and road biking.
Stephen: Hunting , fishing , being on or near the water. I love watching football and pretty much all sports. Having birthday parties and traveling.
Musical Influences:
Eric: The Eagles, Jackson Brown, Beatles, Alabama
Stephen: Johnny Cash, Elvis, The Eagles, Nirvana, George Strait
Favorite Record(s):
Eric: Hotel California
Stephen: Tyler Farr – “Redneck Crazy,” Randy Houser- “Runnin’ Out of Moonlight,” Family Force 5 –“Wobble,” Thomas Rhett – “Front Porch Junkies,” Lee Brice – “I Drive Your Truck,” Guy Clark – “The Guitar,” Florida Georgia Line – “Tell Me How You Like It”

Brad Paisley's Beat This Summer Tour to Launch May 9

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paisleyBrad Paisley has announced the first leg of his 2013 Beat This Summer Tour presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store®. The tour launches in St. Louis, Mo. on May 9 and will visit over 29 cities in the United States and Canada. Chris Young and Lee Brice will be special guests on the outing.

“Teaming up with Brad Paisley for this tour is exciting for everyone at Cracker Barrel because he is one of the most highly-regarded modern-day entertainers, and his connection with country music fans, our brand, and our guests is such a phenomenal fit,” says Cracker Barrel Marketing Manager Julie Craig. “The tour integration itself is the largest we’ve ever launched as a brand, and we’re thrilled that the Cracker Barrel Old Country Store exclusive music program is helping to bring this amazing tour experience to thousands of fans.”
Paisley is proud to partner with Live Beyond by donating $1 from each ticket sale. Live Beyond is a Nashville nonprofit with a mission to provide medical care, clean water, nutritional support and development activities to impoverished communities in Haiti. Go to www.livebeyond.org for more information or to donate.

Beat This Summer Tour presented by Cracker Barrel Old Country Store tour dates:

May 9       St. Louis, Mo.           Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
May 10     Indianapolis              Klipsch Music Center
May 11     Chicago                       First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
May 16     Holmdel, N.J.            PNC Bank Arts Center
May 17     Boston                         Comcast Center
May 18     Hartford, Conn.        Comcast Theatre
May 31     Toronto, ONT            Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
June 1       Pittsburgh                  First Niagara Pavilion
June 2       Saratoga Springs, N.Y.       Saratoga Performing  Arts Center
June 6      Cincinnati                              Riverbend Music Center
June 7      Charlotte, N.C.                      Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre
June 8     Raleigh, N.C.                          Time Warner Cable Music Pavilion
June 21    West Palm Beach, Fla.         Cruzan Amphitheatre *
June 22    Tampa, Fla.                            Live Nation Amphitheatre *
June 23    Atlanta                                    Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood *
June 28    Virginia Beach, Va.              Farm Bureau Live
June 29    Washington, D.C.                 Jiffy Lube Live
July 12     Darien Center, N.Y.              Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
July 13    Ft. Loramie, Ohio                  Country Concert at Hickory Hills Lake
July 20   Twin Lakes, Wisc.                  Country Thunder Festival Grounds
July 27    Dallas                                       Gexa Energy Pavilion
July 28   Houston                                   Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
Aug. 1    Denver                                       Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre
Aug. 2    Salt Lake City, Utah                USANA Amphitheatre
Aug. 16  Mission, BC                              Rockin’ River Festival-Mission Raceway Park*
Aug. 17  Brownsville, Ore.                    Williamette Country Music Festival *
Aug. 22  Mountain View, Calif.           Shoreline Amphitheatre
Aug. 23   Sacramento, Calif.                 Sleep Train Amphitheatre
Aug. 24   San Bernardino, Calif.         San Manuel Amphitheatre
* Lee Brice is not on this date.

Artist Updates (2-27-13)

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The Shuggah Pies performed a five-song set at the BMI Nashville offices on Jan. 24 for a diverse crowd of writers, publishers and young professionals. The trio is currently in the studio with producer Jeffrey Steele wrapping up their debut album. They released their single “I’m Ready” to iTunes late last year and have been playing road dates with Jana Kramer, Craig Campbell, and others.

TheShuggah PiesJan13

(L-R): CAA’s Rod Essig; 3 Ring Circus’ Casey Le’Vasseur; The Shuggah Pies’ Angela Krechel, Courtney Krechel, Amy Krechel; Jeffrey Steele; BMI’s Jody Williams

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kenny chesney life on a rock11Kenny Chesney revealed the cover to his upcoming album, Life On A Rock, which releases April 30. “Life. You’ve shared so much of yours with me and my music, and I can’t wait to get the next record out to you,” Chesney said via Facebook. “It’s snapshots of places I’ve been, people I’ve loved and moments I wish I could bottle up. Kind of like the album cover… literally, pictures from my life. It’s called Life On A Rock. It looks at where I’ve been, what I’ve learned and hopefully how we grow. I can’t share the music for a bit, but here’s the cover. It’s a lot like this record actually sounds!”
 
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parmalee1Newcomers Parmalee will make its Grand Ole Opry debut on Friday (March 1) at the Grand Ole Opry House.

The group will perform during the 7 p.m. show as part of a bill that includes Blake Shelton, Josh Turner, Steve Wariner and Montgomery Gentry.

“We are completely blown away!” said Parmalee member Matt Thomas. “What an honor to be invited into the ‘Circle.’ This is definitely a lifetime achievement for all us.”

“My first thought when I heard we were playing the Grand Ole Opry was, ‘My family is gonna be so proud!’” said Barry Knox.

 • • •

chris janson1Chris Janson will make a guest appearance on GAC’s Headline Country debuting Thursday, Feb. 28 at 3 p.m. CT. The singer-songwriter will discuss his Grand Ole Opry debut and new music.

Bobby Karl Works The MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards

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highvalley

Showcase artist High Valley.

11th annual CountryBreakout Winners
Male Artist of the Year: Dierks Bentley, 127,652 spins
Female Artist of the Year: Miranda Lambert, 100,934 spins
Group/Duo of the Year: Zac Brown Band, 118, 356 spins
Breakout Artist of the Year: Kip Moore, 93,869
Independent Artist of the Year: Taylor Made, 35,409 spins
Label of the Year: Capitol Records Nashville, 597,897
CountryBreakout Reporter of the Year: Paul Ciliberto, WDNB/Liberty, NY
Read all about the award winners in the new print issue of MusicRow, available for free at the Nashville Convention Center during CRS. Awards are based strictly on spins on theMusicRow CountryBreakout chart during 2012. 

BOBBY KARL WORKS THE ROOM: Chapter 417

CountryBreakout Awards

Dierks Bentley


There was no bang from a starter pistol, no clang of a gong or ringing of a bell, but the 2013 CRS attendees are definitely off and running.
Hundreds surged into Margaritaville on Tuesday afternoon (Feb. 26), packing the venue’s upstairs event space for the MusicRow CountryBreakout Awards. Now in its 11th year, this gig has become the unofficial kick-off event of Country Radio Seminar.
The throng included Tracy Lawrence, The Roys, Robby Johnson, Sherry Lynn, Angel Mary & The Tennessee Werewolves, Tyler Dean, Brent Cobb, Shelly Mullins and Alex Flanigen schmoozing the likes of David Newmark, David Ross, Isabel Ross, Al Brock, Dan Mitchell, Regnia Hensley, Judy Harris, Christy Watkins, Brenda Larsen, Wes Vause, Teddi Bonadies, Steve Pope, Preston Schmidt, Susan Collier, Neil Spielberg, Chuck Dauphin, Frank Myers, Woody Bomar, Robbie Huff, Byron Gallimore, Renee Grant-Williams and hostess with the mostest, Margaritaville’s Tinti Moffatt.
CountryBreakout Awards

Showcase artist Jaida Dreyer


“Repeat after me, ‘Welcome to CRS!’” shouted entertainer Jaida Dreyer to the crowd. Her debut album, I Am Jaida Dreyer was released that very morning. From it, she chose to sing the wry, minor-key “Confessions of an Ex Girlfriend,” her single “Half Broke Horses” and the bopping “If That Ain’t Love.”
CountryBreakout Awards

(L-R): Sarah Skates, Sony’s R.G. Jones, Sherod Robertson


Also entertaining at the event were the three-part sibling harmony masters High Valley. The group, which is opening shows for Little Big Town this spring, sang the driving, energetic “Love You for a Long Time” and the anthemic “Call Me Old Fashioned,” then introduced a brand-new song, the throbbing “Rescue You.”
CountryBreakout Awards

(L-R): Sarah Skates, MCA’s Van Haze, Sherod Robertson


Between performances, MusicRow owner/publisher Sherod Robertson handed out the magazine’s radio chart honors. This year’s Male Artist of the Year is Dierks Bentley, thanks to “Home,” “5-1-5-0” and “Tip It on Back.”
CountryBreakout Awards

CountryBreakout Reporter of the Year Paul Ciliberto


“I’m a huge fan of MusicRow, so it is an honor to be here,” said Bentley. “And my fan club is on the front row! This is awesome.”
Accepting the Female Artist of the Year award for Miranda Lambert was Sony Music Nashville promo guy R.G. Jones. “Thank you very much for all your support, country radio,” he said. “I just wish I was as good looking as Miranda.” So do we.
ROAR’s Matt Maher and Chuck Swaney of Southern Ground Artists accepted the Group/Duo prize on behalf of the Zac Brown Band. MCA’s Van Haze got up to collect the Breakout Artist award on behalf of Kip Moore, who was busy shooting the video for “Hey Pretty Girl.”
CountryBreakout Awards

(L-R): Sarah Skates, UMG Nashville’s Steve Hodges and Shane Allen, Sherod Robertson


ROAR's Matt Maher and Chuck Swaney of Southern Ground Artists accepted the Group/Duo prize on behalf of the Zac Brown Band

(L-R): Sarah Skates, ROAR’s Matt Maher, Southern Ground Artist’s Chuck Swaney, Sherod Robertson


Can you believe this? Capitol Nashville Records won the Label of the Year award for the eighth consecutive time. The company had 11 of the 32 No. 1 songs on the MusicRow chart during the past year.
CountryBreakout Awards

Independent Artist of the Year Taylor Made


“Thank y’all for playing our fantastic music,” said the label’s Steve Hodges, who was accompanied to the stage by co-worker Shane Allen.
The West Virginia-bred sibling trio Taylor Made was clearly delighted by its win. Their press releases now refer to them as “MusicRow Independent Artist of the Year Taylor Made.”
Radio Reporter of the Year Paul Ciliberto of WDNB in Liberty, N.Y. accepted his award by saying, “The best award of all is making true friends of so many in this room. I am truly honored.”
CountryBreakout Awards

High Valley


Robertson bid us all adieu: “We appreciate you starting Country Radio Seminar week with us. Have an awesome CRS. Have as much fun as you can…legally.”
A-a-a-a-a-nd they’re OFF! Let the week of yakking and drinking and music begin.
CountryBreakout Awards

(L-R): Sarah Skates, Sherod Robertson, Dierks Bentley and Steve Hodges


Showcase artist Jaida Dreyer

Jaida Dreyer


Photos by Isabel Ross and Caitlin Rantala. Click to see more event pics.

Academy of Country Music Radio Award Winners

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acmThe Academy of Country Music announced the radio award winners for the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards this morning (Feb. 27).
Cody Alan won the National On-Air Personality of the Year award, for CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan. Alan also won the award in 2010 and serves as both the host and executive producer for CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan. He can also be seen weekly on CMT Hot 20 Countdown.
Winners in radio categories will be invited to receive their awards at a private reception in Las Vegas on April 6, the day prior to the 48th Annual Academy of Country Music Awards.

ON-AIR PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
NATIONAL            Cody Alan – CMT Radio Live with Cody Alan
MAJOR MARKET    Cornbread, Judi Diamond & Cap’n Mac – WIL-FM – St. Louis, Mo.
LARGE MARKET    Chris Carr, Maverick & Statt – WUBE-FM – Cincinnati
MEDIUM MARKET  Rowdy Yates, Sunny Leigh & Carly Rush – KVOO-FM – Tulsa, Okla.
SMALL MARKET    Gator Harrison, Styckman & Cowboy Kyle – WUSY-FM – Chattanooga, Tenn.
RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR WINNERS:
MAJOR MARKET               WYCD-FM—Detroit
LARGE MARKET                KAJA-FM – San Antonio
MEDIUM MARKET            KUZZ AM/FM – Bakersfield, Calif.
SMALL MARKET                KCLR-FM – Columbia, Mo.