More Awards Week Photos

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Patrón Tequila supported the CMA’s Keep The Music Playing foundation in Nashville during the CMA Awards. The spirits company created a 10 foot fiberglass guitar that was signed by country’s biggest names including Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, LeAnn Rimes, Sugarland, Gregg Allman, Zac Brown Band and many more. Following the show, the guitar was auctioned off to benefit Keep The Music Playing. Below, country star Clay Walker adds his signature.

Sixty-seven songwriters were honored for performance awards at BMI’s Country Awards Nov. 8, and 17 of those writers were first-time honorees. Several of the first-timers winners gathered for a photo.

(L-R): Jamie Paulin, BMI’s Clay Bradley, Brantley Gilbert, Jeremy Spillman, Josh Thompson, JT Harding, Jessie Joe Dillon, Kimberly Perry, Marti Frederiksen, Marty Dodson, Kevin Griffin, Shane Stevens, busbee, and BMI’s Jody Williams. (First-time award winners not pictured: Shy Carter, Kara DioGuardi, Daniel Pritzker, Jimi Westbrook, and Karen Fairchild.) Photo: John Russell

Country music’s biggest stars lined up to interview with Premiere Networks affiliates prior to the 45th Annual CMA Awards, and Faith Hill sat down to chat with The Big D and Bubba Show. Hill also performed her new single “Come Home” on the Awards show broadcast.

(L-R): Bubba, Hill, Big D

See? They’re not the same person. Bigger Picture recording artist Craig Campbell and longtime Music Row publicist Craig Campbell alleviated the confusion once and for all by posing together in a photo on the CMA Awards Red Carpet.

(L-R): artist Craig Campbell, publicist Craig Campbell

CountryBreakout Panelists Respond to CMA Awards

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Country Music’s biggest night has come and gone, offering more than a few surprises to the viewers. The phrase “thank you country radio” is one often uttered from the CMA Awards podium, so we checked in with some of our CountryBreakout panelists to gauge their reactions to the ceremony.

The general consensus on show co-hosts Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood seems to be favorable, including the good-natured ribbing of Hank Williams Jr. and his Fox News political flap.

“I really liked the opening, showing respect to Hank Jr. that the Country Music stands behind him (along with all of his rowdy friends),” says Jason McLelland of KDOL/Livingston, TX.

Ted Cramer of WIFE/Connersville, IN thought the Carrie and Brad “tried a little too hard,” while Carey Carlson of WTCM/Traverse City, MI said they were “brilliant.”

Also in the positive column was Kip Jervis of WEZJ/Williamsburg, KY, who said the pair “are perfect as co-hosts, and every one of their segments had everyone in my house rolling in the floor. We especially loved the Little Jimmy Dickens segment.”

The Band Perry took home multiple CMA Awards on Nov. 9.

Perhaps surprisingly, there was little disagreement over the trophy winners. The Band Perry took home the most awards, while Blake and Miranda remained the format’s vocal king and queen.

“I was so happy for The Band Perry, and Blake and Miranda are the new ‘it’ couple (bet they had an awesome night),” mused WTCM’s Carlson.

“The Band Perry deserved every single award that they picked up,” agreed Jeff Hunt of WFGE/State College, PA. “I had the pleasure of seeing them right after ‘Hip To My Heart’ was released, and I knew they were the real deal.”

Taylor Swift became only the second woman in history (after Barbara Mandrell) with two Entertainer of the Year wins to her credit, which drew enthusiastic praise.

“Congrats to Taylor,” said Tom Duke of KQUS/Hot Springs, AR. “She fills venues up around the world, no one can touch her in sales, she is a great performer and she appreciates her fans. Her only competition, Kenny Chesney, was not even nominated. What’s up with that?”

“Enough cannot be said about Taylor picking up her second Entertainer Of the Year award,” concurred WFGE’s Hunt. “She has done more than enough to earn it. Her stage show is the most exciting not only in country music, but in all music period. She regularly performs for two-and-a-half hours every night, and the crowd goes home happy.”

As usual, the show was loaded with performances from the format’s heavyweights who earned solid reviews.

“Blake, Miranda, and Eric Church all stole the spotlight,” offered KDOL’s McLelland.

“Taylor gave one of the best performances of the night, and I enjoyed the music intensive format of the show,” stated WIFE’s Cramer.

There was also a highly collaborative element this year: Kenny Loggins and Shelton; Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield; Chesney and Grace Potter; Zac Brown Band and Gregg Allman; plus co-hosts Paisley and Underwood.

“At times I thought I was watching the MTV awards with all the dancing and such but I thought Brad and Carrie were outstanding again,” said KQUS’s Duke. “Rascal Flatts and Natasha Bedingfield were great, as well as Kenny and Grace Potter–I hope they all record together again.”

“I’ve always been a huge fan of the Allman Brothers Band, so the song with Zac Brown Band (“Georgia On My Mind”) blew me away,” added WEZJ’s Jervis. “The opening was everything it should have been with Kenny joining Blake for ‘Footloose.’”

Lionel Richie. Photo courtesy Universal Music Group.

The addition of R&B and pop legend Lionel Richie to the bill might have seemed an unusual choice, but his appreciation of country music showed in a collaborative medley of his hits “Deep River Roman” (with Little Big Town), “Stuck On You” (with Darius Rucker), and “Dancing On The Ceiling” (with Rascal Flatts). Radio respondents expressed excitement about his upcoming country duets project Tuskeegee.

“Lionel Richie sings as well now as he did back in the day if not better,” said WEZJ’s Jervis. “As Lionel and Darius were doing ‘Stuck On You the camera panned at the perfect time and Tim McGraw was singing along! Very cool captured moment there.”

“I can hardly wait for Tuskegee to be available, loved loved loved Lionel Richie. Welcome to Country!” exclaimed WTCM’s Carlson.

The CMA Awards tribute to Glen Campbell received glowing praise. Photo courtesy Big Hassle PR.

The portion of the show seemingly everyone wanted to see was the tribute to the legendary Glen Campbell, featuring Brad Paisley, Keith Urban, Vince Gill, and composer Jimmy Webb. All agreed it was a truly special moment, but were disappointed that Campbell didn’t get a chance to play or speak before the commercial break.

“The tribute to Glenn Campbell was fantastic,” said KQUS’s Duke. “I wish that he could have at least played the guitar. I hear he is still as good as ever and to me he is one of the best.”

“Stunning,” seconded WTCM’s Carlson. “Brad and Keith ought to do a cover CD of Jimmy Webb songs.”

“It was really powerful,” chimed in KDOL’s McLelland. “When Glen got up and strapped on the guitar I was excited expecting to hear from him. It was a little disappointing to see a commercial break instead.”

“The part I was most looking forward to did not disappoint, other than the fact that the producers cut to commercial just as Glen Campbell was strapping on his guitar,” noted WEZJ’s Jervis. “I guess it pays to attend, because I’m sure the fans there at Bridgestone Arena got a great, albeit brief performance with Glen sitting in and not to mention the great Jimmy Webb. The whole segment was quite bittersweet. My wife and I got a chance to see Glen last month in Kentucky, likely for the last time, and so the CMA tribute was icing for us as fans.”

CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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Opportunity means choice. You can make a leap of faith into the unknown, or you can let it pass and wonder what might have been. Generally songs from popular music—including country—will tell you the former is the more advisable decision.

Which is a fancy way to say Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night” is No. 1 on the CountryBreakout Chart for a second consecutive week and still showing signs of growth. Good timing, too: Hillary, Dave, and Charles just bagged their third consecutive Vocal Group of the Year honor at the 45th Annual CMA Awards and delivered a stunning performance of the song during the telecast. We suspect there’s plenty more where that came from, because the group’s massive Own The Night tour gets underway tonight (11/11) in Knoxville and runs through June 2012. There’s even a Nashville date scheduled for Feb. 22 at Municipal Auditorium.

“This is the tour we’ve always dreamed of putting together,” says Charles Kelley. “We got to help design the stage and really collaborate on new production ideas, and now we’re just really trying to hone in on the perfect set list to give the fans a cool mix of hits and some of their favorite songs from the new record. Plus, we’ve been working on some really intimate moments for our show, where we can really break things down and be close to the crowd. I can’t wait for the next nine months!”

So grab your wallet, and carpe diem already.

Weekly Chart Report (11/11/11)

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Chuck Wicks (L) recently stopped by Nashville’s WSIX to catch up with Mid Day host Amy Paige (R) and to talk about his St. Jude benefit show next Monday (11/14) at 3rd & Lindsley.

RADIO NEWS
As part of Clear Channel’s recent reorganization, WTCR/Huntington, WV MD Scott Hesson has departed after nearly 10 years with the company. Hesson’s 25-plus year radio career also includes time at Hilton Head’s WGZR, and Tri Cities TN-VA’s WXBQ. Reach him at 304-521-9831 or here. WTCR PD Judy Eaton will assume music duties in the meantime. Reach her here.

• • •

KCBN/Harrison, AR MD Lisa Johnson will exit the station Nov. 15, where she has worked for 11 years. Her career in radio spans 26 years and includes time with WTXT/Tuscaloosa and KTXY Y107/Columbia, Mo. Contact her here.

Corey Wagar (R) and KCJC/Russellville, Arkansas MD Jarrett Jackson (L) mug for the camera during a recent station visit. Wagar’s single “I Hate My Boyfriend” is up to No. 65 this week on the chart.

SPIN ZONE
Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night” remains unchallenged as the CountryBreakout Chart’s No. 1 song, followed once again by Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim.” CMA Album of the Year winner Jason Aldean’s “Tattoos On This Town” moves up a spot to No. 3, followed by Eric Church’s “Drink In My Hand” at No. 4 and The Band Perry’s “All Your Life” at No. 5.

Mostly, it’s a molasses-slow week for movement. Even hot new singles like Kenny Chesney’s “Reality,” Brad Paisley’s “Camouflage,” and Toby Keith’s “Red Solo Cup” don’t make much more progress than one position or two, despite impressive triple digit gains in spins. New debuts include McGuffey Lane’s “Bartender” at No. 76, Gloriana’s “(Kissed You) Good Night” at No. 77, Shane Yellowbird’s “Bare Feet On The Blacktop” at No. 79 and Johnny Rivers’ “I’ve Got To Use My Imagination” at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists: KFAV, KTWI, KWWR, KYYK, WAKG, WBKR, WBYZ, WCMS, WKWS, WPPL, WRHT, WYBL

Upcoming Singles
November 14
Faith Hill/Come Home/Warner Bros./WMN
Wade Bowen/Saturday Night/Sea Gayle/BNA
Love and Theft/Angel Eyes/RCA
Mark Cooke/Any Way The wind Blows/CVR/Quarterback

November 28
Shawna Russell/Waitin’ On Sunrise/Way Out West

• • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
McGuffey Lane/Bartender/Lick — 76
Gloriana/(Kissed You) Good Night/Emblem/WMN — 77
Shane Yellowbird / Bare Feet On The Blacktop/On Ramp — 79
Johnny Rivers/I’ve Got To Use My Imagination/Soul City — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 306
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 281
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 255
Kenny Chesney/Reality/BNA — 213
Toby Keith/Red Solo Cup/Show Dog-Univeral — 202

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 16
David Bradley/If You Can’t Make Money/Gecko Music Productions — 10
Trace Adkins/Million Dollar View/Show Dog-Universal — 8
Rodney Atkins/He’s Mine/Curb — 8
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 8
Faith Hill/Come Home/Warner Bros. — 7
Kevin Fowler/That Girl/Average Joe’s — 7
Billy Currington/Like My Dog/Mercury — 6

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Joanna Mosca w/Richie McDonald/Where Does Good Love Go?/Dolce Diva — 134
Lauren Alaina/Georgia Peaches/19/Mercury — 132
Brent Anderson/Amy’s Song/Arista — 126
Chris Weaver Band/Go Easy On Me — 119
Mockingbird Sun/Lucky Guy/Toomey Starks — 116
Bryan Cole/Pride & Passion/Perfect Vision — 114

FUNL Music artist Ty Herndon stopped by Premiere Radio’s CMA Awards remotes recently to promote his new single, “Stones.” Herndon is currently recording the follow-up effort to his 2010 Grammy-nominated album, Journey On, slated for an early 2012 release. (L-R): Shadow Stevens (MD – WWKA/Orlando, FL), Travis Moon (PD – KAJA/San Antonio, TX), Ty Herndon, radio vet Becky Brenner

Average Joe’s duo Montgomery Gentry recently stopped to congratulate Moby, host of syndicated Moby in the Morning, on his induction into the Country Radio Hall of Fame. (L-R): Eddie Montgomery, Moby, Troy Gentry

NARM: Back Announcing Could Improve Music Discovery And Sales

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NARM (National Association of Recording Merchandisers) recently unveiled new research on how consumers discover music completed by the NPD Group. This topic was last examined in 2007 and the current findings have “changed significantly,” due to the introduction, since that time, of social media, TV and other digital services as major influencers.

Top line findings show music discovery remains vital to the industry, but “applies differently to various consumer groups.” Interestingly, “80% of all respondents were interested in learning about new music from artists they were already fans of, and 60% were interested in learning about unfamiliar artists in genres that they usually buy.”

The most common means of music discovery is via am/fm radio plus family, friends and co-workers. For active music fans, online radio and web videos were also important. The report notes that TV (competitions, awards, online video outlets, scripted series) were extremely influential overall. Not unexpectedly, the importance of retail has lessened since 2007 when the previous study was completed.

“We have identified several areas where we believe we can move the needle and convert that discovery to a retail experience of some kind,” said Jim Donio, President of NARM. “For example, people hear music they like, but because of lack of identification, they don’t learn the artist’s name or the song title, so they cannot seek out that track again – more promotion of song recognition apps and stressing the importance of back announcing could go a long way to improve that situation.”

This is not the first study to urge radio to adopt more back announcing (the naming of a previous song) to increase music sales. The CMA segmentation studies in 2009 and 2010 also reached that conclusion. However, radio still does not seem to have incorporated back announcing on any wide scale.

The study also segmented consumers into five groups; “Committed,” “Convert,” “Comfortable,” “Casual,” and “Content,” plus examines various discovery tools.

[Press Release Excerpt] “Committed” consumers are the youngest group, with a mean age of 32 (20 percent are age 13 to 17; 42 percent are 18 to 35).  They represent 10 percent of all consumers who listened to or purchased music within the prior three months. “Committed” consumers also account for 46 percent of per-capita spending on music, and they are the most engaged consumers in the report. While they use a variety of discovery sources – including radio, video, streaming, and movies – they also value ownership, and they are the most open to discovering new artists. They find their current means to discover new music is good, but still wonder if they are missing something.

“Converts,” who make up 30 percent of musically active consumers and account for 34 percent of per-capita spending, are the second youngest group, with a mean age of 34 (13 percent teens; 23 percent are 18 to 25 years old). They also listen to music in a variety of ways and are more likely than the average consumer to purchase CDs or digital downloads. They are generally satisfied with their means of music discovery, but they would still consider other options.

Those in the “Comfortable” group make up 30 percent of musically active consumers and account for 15 percent of per-capita spending on music. With a mean age of 50, they are considered the mainstream segment. These individuals mostly listen to music on CD or on AM/FM radio, and they prefer to discover new music from familiar artists. They also rely primarily on television and radio to find new music, and they feel those methods are adequate for their needs; they are not interested in new ways to discover music.

“Casual” listeners, who make up 14 percent of musically active listeners and account for 3 percent of per-capita music spending, have a mean age of 43. They are also lighter listeners than average, they rarely buy music, and they have low interest in digital sources and discovery.

The “Content” group, which make up 11 percent of musically active consumers and account for 2 percent of per-capita music spending, have a mean age of 55. They are the lightest buyers and listeners, and while they periodically buy CDs, they do not find current music engaging.

 

Consumers cited TV as the second most influential tool for music discovery, trumped by am/fm radio, which was most important. According to the study, “most of those who cited radio also reported they would wait to hear a new song again, rather than purchase the track. This finding suggests a need for more back announcing, since three out of four of those who said they would wait also said they would shop more if there were more announcements revealing artist names and track titles.”

“As technology and music distribution has evolved, it’s fascinating how diverse the music fan base has adapted since the last time we conducted this study,” said Russ Crupnick, Sr. VP of The NPD Group. “On one hand you have fans who can’t find enough ways to learn about new music, whether it’s at retail, through apps and social networks, or on radio and TV. On the other hand there is still a large core group who learns by listening to AM/FM radio and on family shopping trips. Regardless of the type of music fan, there are actions the industry can take to improve the discovery process, and help drive revenue.”

The study was conducted by NPD Group in August 2011 and based upon 3,771 completed online surveys. The full research deck is available to NARM members only.

Charlie Cook On Air

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If you ask people the most important qualities in a friend, a spouse or even a co-worker, I’ll bet loyalty is among them. According to Karol Ladd’s bestselling book The Power of a Positive Woman, loyalty is number three.

Loyalty is not only important to friendships–it’s important to radio stations, station personalities, artists and musical genres. The record companies get kind of a pass in their brand on this one but they are tightly tied to the artist brand, of course.

How do you build loyalty? How do you build loyalty that lasts for a long time?

I remember asking Conway Twitty why he left a Rock & Roll career behind, when he could have been huge around the time Elvis was the King. He told me he knew Country fans were loyal to their heroes. He told me that he wanted a 25 year career. Conway read it right and lasted longer than just 25 years. No one could have anticipated the loyalty Elvis engendered.

I am always amazed to see where one of the format’s longer lasting artists is still out on the road many nights while not having a radio hit or a current CD for years. But they can support themselves, a band and a bus because they have built a base of loyal fans. Maybe they don’t sell out Madison Square Garden but they make a living doing what they love doing.

This is the same for pop groups, often rejiggered with one or less of the original members. Is loyalty illusionary in some cases? Are we loyal to what we think we remember?

I am a loyal Detroit Red Wing fan. Am I loyal to the uniform? Not so much to the players anymore, many of whose names I cannot even pronounce. I don’t get to Red Wing games anymore but I check CBSsports.com every morning to see how they performed last night.

Borders Books recently crashed after a good run. They came out of Ann Arbor about the time I lived there and had a 40 year run. How does a 40 year business just fold up? They failed to take advantage of managing loyalty to their brand.

I don’t go to a book store to buy candy bars and candles. I would bring my daughter to Borders to help her build a love of books and instead I had to fight my way through stuffed animals and trinkets that would catch her eye.

What happens then? In my case I would think twice before bringing her with me. Then because I would rather spend time with her I stopped going to Borders. Multiply that by 1 million and all of a sudden Borders has a real problem.

What built your loyalty? Hammer those qualities home day after day, week after week.

Lee Greenwood was a player in our format but “God Bless the USA” is his brand. That song built a loyal following for Lee. What if he made an appearance and decided not to sing that song?

Artists like to stretch and discover new avenues with their music. I guess that this is what makes them special. I will bet that singing the same music, the same style, night after night makes you want to climb a tower, but at the same time the fan has an expectation that needs to be satisfied.

Artists like Taylor, who understands her fan base as much as anyone ever has, can push the envelope more during her live shows. Heck, who would have thought 14 year old girls would spend two hours entranced by what is a Broadway like musical. Taylor did. This gives her the opportunity to stretch musically and tell a visual story with her music. Her shows build a connection with the fans and loyalty because it is visual along with being musical.

Radio stations should be loyalty machines. They have so many things to hook the listener with. Music is the number one thing. If there are two country stations in town you have to be the choice with more music, better music, more targeted music. Then you can build loyalty with a morning show.

Do you think Baltimore country music fans would feel the same about WPOC if Laurie DeYoung wasn’t waking them up? Laurie has built a loyal fan base by being consistently good every day. Laurie doesn’t try to reinvent the wheel every morning. She tries to deliver a morning show that has made her a Hall of Famer.

Some stations try to buy loyalty. Nothing wrong with that. Contests work just fine. Stations are actually trying to buy ratings but sometimes loyalty comes along as a secondary benefit.

I hear from stations that times change. In the consumer arena it is a zero sum game. If I listened to WXXX and now I listen to WZZZ something made me change my mind. My sixteen hours a week of listening is now either distributed differently or gone to the new guy.

The bottom line is that in order to build loyalty with your friends, your co-workers, you customers, or fans you need to add to the community every day. Just hanging around is not good enough. Contribute something every day.

You must do something that ingratiates you to your target.

According to Robert Passikoff, founder and president of Brand Keys, “If you’re a retailer, loyal and engaged customers are six times more likely to visit your locations.”

I am going to stretch that and say if you really care about building loyalty with your target you’re many times more likely to have them listen to your radio station, buy your CD or attend your concert.

Finally, a couple weeks ago my friend Cindi Hoelzle posted on Facebook a thank you card Taylor sent to her and family for attending her show. That is stretching and that is what Ms. Swift does every day.

Have a great weekend.

CountryBreakout No. 1 Song

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Funny how little things from youth get etched into your memory: fleeting encounters take on unparalleled significance, and seizing the moment is your only option. You eventually grow up and move on, but little reminders will always transport you back to something that seemed perfect.

That’s the feeling captured in Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night,” which is now the CountryBreakout Chart’s new No. 1 song. Written by group members Dave Haywood and Charles Kelley with songwriting all-star Dallas Davidson, the tune recalls a short fling from the past and the lasting impression it created. “We Owned The Night” is the second single (and sort of title track) from the trio’s third album Own The Night (Capitol Records), produced by Paul Worley. It’s still a young single at 12 weeks old, but it’s clearly a potent one.

Lady Antebellum has of course “owned” just about everything else in the past couple years, from winning numerous CMA and ACM honors to practically sweeping the 2010 Grammy Awards. Their second album Need You Now has sold over five million copies worldwide, and they will be honored as one of CMT’s five Artists of the Year in December. Their Own The Night arena tour of North America has been extended through Summer 2012, with Darius Rucker and Thompson Square supporting.

Kids, get your cell phones and/or lighters ready.

Weekly Chart Report (10/04/11)

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Mark Wayne Glasmire recently visited with WATZ/Alpena, MI and performed his new single “Going Home”. After hearing about the Michigan Legend of The Michigan Dogman (seriously, Google it), Mark announced he was ready to go home. (L-R) WATZ MD Susie Martin, Mark Wayne Glasmire

RADIO NEWS
El Dorado Broadcasters KTTI/Yuma, AZ morning co-host Misty Smith has taken over PD duties following the departure of Jay Walker, who left the station to pursue a career in the restaurant industry. Smith has been with the station five years, and will segue to the midday airshift. Reach out to her here.

SPIN ZONE
Nashville’s hottest new country stars populate the top of this week’s CountryBreakout Chart, with Lady Antebellum’s “We Owned The Night” taking over the No. 1 spot. Miranda Lambert’s “Baggage Claim” moves up to No. 2 ahead of Brantley Gilbert’s recent No. 1 “Country Must Be Country Wide.” Jason Aldean’s “Tattoos On This Town” is in the hunt at No. 4 and being chased by Eric Church’s “Drink In My Hand” at No. 5.

Always reliable George Strait leaps onto the chart with his new single “Love’s Gonna Make It Alright,” debuting at No. 57. Also making their first chart appearances are David Bradley’s “If You Can’t Make Money” at No. 71, Mark Wayne Glasmire’s “Going Home” at No. 75, Erica Nicole’s “Shave” at No. 76, Burns & Poe’s “I Need A Job” at No. 77, Bill Gentry’s “This Letter” at No. 79, and Joanna Mosca’s “Where Does Good Love Go” featuring Richie McDonald at No. 80.

Frozen Playlists: KITX, KYKX, KYYK, KZTL, WAKG, WTCR, WYBL

Upcoming Singles
November 7
Rodney Atkins/He’s Mine/Curb
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA

November 14
Wade Bowen/Saturday Night/Sea Gayle/BNA
Love and Theft/Angel Eyes/RCA
Mark Cooke/Any Way The wind Blows/CVR/Quarterback

• • • • •

New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 57
David Bradley/If You Can’t Make Money/Gecko Music Productions — 71
Mark Wayne Glasmire/Going Home/Traceway — 75
Erica Nicole/Shave/Heaven Records — 77
Burns & Poe/I Need a Job/Blue Steel — 78
Bill Gentry/This Letter/Tenacity Records — 79
Joanna Mosca w/ Richie McDonald/Where Does Good Love Go?/Dolce Diva Music — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Toby Keith/Red Solo Cup/Show Dog-Univeral — 409
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 408
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 355
Trace Adkins/Million Dollar View/Show Dog-Universal — 288
Brad Paisley/Camouflage/Arista — 265

Most Added
Artist/song/label — New Adds
George Strait/Love’s Gonna Make It Alright/MCA — 31
Trace Adkins/Million Dollar View/Show Dog-Universal — 17
Keith Urban/You Gonna Fly/Capitol — 16
Scotty McCreery/The Trouble With Girls/19 Ent./Mercury — 10
Toby Keith/Red Solo Cup/Show Dog-Univeral — 10
Lee Brice/A Woman Like You/Curb — 10
Rodney Atkins/He’s Mine/Curb — 9

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
McGuffey Lane/Bartender/Lick — 120
Shane Yellowbird/Bare Feet On The Blacktop/On Ramp — 118
Mockingbird Sun/Lucky Guy/Toomey Starks — 114
Bryan Cole/Pride & Passion — 109
Gloriana/(Kissed You) Good Night/Emblem/WMN — 104

CMT Radio Live With Cody Alan landed in Dallas for the second stop on the show’s tour, and visited with local CMT Radio affiliate, KPLX-FM 99.5 The Wolf. They broadcasted live and hosted a free concert featuring Rodney Atkins, JT Hodges and Ashley Gearing at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth (L-R): Cody Alan, JT Hodges, Stephen Linn, Ashley Gearing, Mark Phillips, Rodney Atkins

Buddy Jewell has been out visiting country radio in support of his new single “Jesus, Elvis, and Me,” which is now at No. 44 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout Chart. (L-R): Jewell, Al Brock (Spin Doctors Promotions), Jason Aldridge (WYVY/Union City TN)

Cold River Records artist Katie Armiger performed at WGH/Norfolk-Virginia Beach’s “Up Close & Personal” concert series yesterday at the station’s own venue, the Eagles’ Nest Rockin’ Country Bar. (L-R): Mark McKay (WGH APD/MD/afternoon), Katie Armiger, and John Shomby (WGH PD), Mary Lynne O’Neal (Cold River)

Charlie Cook On Air

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Next Wednesday (Nov. 9) is the CMA Awards show. It is always a special night for the artists, the fans, and for ABC for years to come. I thought that this would be a good time to look at the format as it stands right now. I’ll do this again in the Spring just before the ACM show.

These ideas make coming up with topics for this column easy. Coming up with ideas is the hardest part of writing this column. So now and in the Spring. Two down, 50 to go.

To make it even easier I reached out to some friends to give me their perspective of the format as of November 4, 2011. Really, the ideas are the only hard part if you have any friends at all.

I asked them only one question. “What is the state of the format days before the CMA Awards show?”

I reached out to label bigwigs (major and indie), a disc jockey, programmers and other trade organizations. I did not ask Steve Moore, CEO of the CMA, or CMA Board Chairman Steve Buchanan because they are going to get enough print this weekend.

First to weigh in is Tom Baldrica, president of Average Joe’s Entertainment. “From my perspective, there is an excitement and vibrancy in country music right now—with authentic, real music (and musicians) being discovered, shared and evangelized by the younger demo. In addition to what they hear on the radio, they are scouring YouTube, attending live shows, sharing files and engaging with other fans of similar tastes.”

Having a level of excitement about the music and the acts is about all we can ask for. From Brad and Carrie to The Band Perry we do have exciting acts. It isn’t every year that a group in the New Category goes Triple Platinum the month before the award is passed out.

Paul Freeman, afternoon disc jockey at KKGO/Los Angeles is excited about the energy in today’s country music. “American Idol, The Voice, and the Apprentice (are) all giving Country Music national exposure along with really great upbeat music coming from Nashville this year.”

It seems like passion and appeal beyond the genre is important for radio personnel. “The format has done a great job in adding very vibrant talent to an already strong roster of artists,” says KEEY/Minneapolis Programmer Gregg Swedberg. “Our stars are stars, no matter whether we get proper credit from the rest of the world (and we don’t). Our audience is passionate about many artists. Sales are great, concert business is great, ratings are generally great, and there is an obvious path forward. We cross over into other formats and young people are interested in what we do.”

The CMA and ABC gotta love the “stars are stars” part of Gregg’s comment. In the past and today the format got boosts from TV and movies. The film Urban Cowboy gave the format a lift many years ago and there was a time when Country acts were on TV every week with Barbara Mandrell’s  show, Reba and Billy Ray Cyrus with some young lady named Miley. Or was it Hannah?

Today Trace Adkins is quickly recognized from his appearance on The Apprentice. Reba will be back on weekly TV next year and Taylor has acted on TV and in the movies. Brad and the Flatts were on the little screen in high profile situations.

Programmer extraordinaire Becky Brenner put her thoughts to music. You’ll have to hum along in your head. “Country is country wide, in fact it is worldwide and sizzling hot. Whether you’re a family man, a farmer’s daughter, a homeboy or an all American girl you can feel that fire! We should be proud of this house we built. I got a feelin’ we must be doin’ something right. Welcome to the Future. God bless the USA, we’ve all gone Country!”

Really! I asked you to hum along IN YOUR HEAD.

Echoing what Gregg said, Becky continues, “There has never been a more exciting time in the country format. Country music is connecting with more people worldwide than ever before.”

The recent announcement that the Wembley Festival is being resurrected in Great Britain is great news for Country fans in Europe and all around the world. Needless to say, it is also good news for Music Row.

Though John Anthony of WKWS in Charleston, WV, has some concerns about the broad appeal. “I’m excited to see the success of new artists such as Chris Young, The Band Perry, Zac Brown Band and Miranda Lambert,” he says. “But (I’m) concerned for the amount of Country songs that are crossing over to our sister AC station. Today alone, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Lady Antebellum, Carrie Underwood, The Band Perry and Diamond Rio.”

The debate over whether Country Music should be played on non-country stations is one only going on in radio stations. I have heard record people say, “We don’t want (fill in the blank) changing his music to get on AC radio.” Hogwash. They tell Country radio that while NY is dialing and smiling to AC and CHR radio.

Arista Nashville VP National Promotion Lesly Tyson has a more solid position on the issue. She was asked a couple of weeks back in All Access, and she told me the same things, on the topic of whether she is concerned about Country acts crossing over and losing their identities. Lesly said, “I’m really not. Brad and Carrie, for example, are both Country artists. They have built incredible fan bases of people who love their music and love who they are as people. Exposing them to more people through their music when it works in another format does not change that in any way.”

Lesly makes a great point about the fan base loving them as people and what they stand for. We would never catch Carrie dressed like Rihanna (darn!) or Lady GaGa. I don’t think we’ll ever hear Brad Paisley and Chris Brown in the same sentence. (Now watch Robert Deaton put them together on the show next week).

I didn’t exactly go to anyone who would say anything overly negative about the format but what I heard here is that radio wants energy and tempo and records want diversity and more exposure.

Me, I want Carrie to rethink those Rihanna outfits.

Valory Names New VP Promotion

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The Valory Music Co. recently hosted a radio gathering at Brantley Gilbert’s sold-out performance in Foxboro, MA. They also used the opportunity to introduce the label’s newest artist, Thomas Rhett. Back Row: George Briner, Mike Brophey (WKLB), Dave Hovel (WXCY), John "JT" Thomas (KYGO), Kris Wilson (Citadel) Mike Ferris (WMAD), Mike Tyler (WPKX), JoJamie Hahr (Valory), Miranda Williams-McDonald (Valory) Front: Bob Walker (WCTK), Don Gosselin (WNOE), Thomas Rhett, Brantley Gilbert, Brooke Yancey (Valory)

The Valory Music Co. has promoted George Briner to Vice President of Promotion, up from his previous post as VP of Field Promotion. His vast industry experience includes stints at Warner Bros., DreamWorks and Universal Nashville as well as the National Director of Promotion for BNA.

“Having worked with The Valory Music Co. and the Big Machine Label Group for the past four years, it was an honor to receive this promotion. Scott Borchetta’s vision and dedication, as well as the hardworking team, are the reasons I love working for this company,” said Briner.

Borchetta added, “George is the consummate record man. His undying passion and energy for our music and our mission is second to none.”

Valory VP Promotion Chris Loss also remains with the company, and a label rep says that he is overseeing some national promotion initiatives.

Briner can be reached at (615) 324-7782 or [email protected]. He will report directly to Borchetta.