FCC Approves White Space Bandwidth

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The Federal Communications Commission approved this week (9/23) the use of unlicensed airwaves, known as “white space” for high-speed wireless broadband networks and other applications. The airwave spectrum in question was opened up as a result of the switch from analog to digital TV signals. According to an article in the New York Times, the decision marks the “first significant block of spectrum made available for unlicensed use by the F.C.C. in 20 years.”

Chief among concerns regarding the new spectrum is that the added “traffic” might cause interference for existing broadcasters. The FCC has released a memorandum (get it here) that outlines its plans to deal with these issues.

Of note for entertainment companies is the fact that the newly-available bandwidth will create “super Wi-Fi” signals that are stronger, travel further distances and are able to penetrate objects more completely than existing Wi-Fi. Ultimately, these signals could bring a new era of online availability for mobile and rural applications. As distribution of audio (radio) and video (TV) signals continues to migrate away from terrestrial sources in favor of Internet, this new bandwidth will speed the transition.

Black River Signing; Legal Symposium

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Black River Music Publishing has signed Due West member Brad Hull to a publishing deal. “Brad originally came to Nashville to pursue songwriting and I am happy he found a home here at Black River Music Publishing,” stated Celia Froehlig, VP BRMP. Due West will release a new CD on Nov. 23. The group’s single “Bible And The Belt” is No. 48 on MusicRow’s CountryBreakout chart.

(L-R) Jimmy Nichols, BRMG President; Brad Hull; and Celia Froehlig, VP BRMG Publishing.

Leadership Music and the Vanderbilt Journal of Entertainment and Technology Law will co-host a Legal symposium titled, “The Evolution of Entertainment Law and Industry in the New world: Where do We Go From Here?” The day-long event will be held Tuesday, September 28, 2010 from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. in Vanderbilt Law School’s Flynn Auditorium. The event carries 5.33 hours of Tennessee CLE credit.

“The symposium is a must-attend for anyone interested in the vital issues facing the music industry today such as copyright and intellectual property,” said Karen Oertley, Executive Director of Leadership Music.

Expected to participate are Cary Sherman (RIAA); David Israelite (NMPA), songwriter Eddie Schwartz; Michael Huppe, SoundExchange; David Carson, U.S. Copyright Office; Shira Perlmutter, International Federation of the Phonographic Industry; Tim DuBois, ASCAP; and Linda Bloss-Baum, Warner Music Group. Leading academics are also scheduled to speak.

To register, visit www.lmvu.eventbrite.com.  In order to receive CLE credit, attendees will pay the general admission fee at www.lmvu.eventbrite.com and bring a separate check for $200 to the event. There will be a CLE registration table on site to record attendees’ hours. The TCCLES course # is 097396 and checks should be made out to Vanderbilt JET Law.

DISClaimer Single Reviews (9/22/10)

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What is past is present.

This week, The Judds and Ken Mellons are returning with records that reinvent their respective sounds. Loretta Lynn, Sheryl Crow & Miranda Lambert revisit a country classic and earn a Disc of the Day honor in the bargain.

The retro sound of The Secret Sisters wins them a DisCovery Award.

Wait a minute. There’s something ultra contemporary here, too. I’m afraid that “Coal Miner’s Daughter” is going to have to share that Disc of the Day prize with the magical sound of “Hello World” by Lady Antebellum.

TAYLOR MADE/Quiet Kind Of Crazy
Writer: Dan Bailey; Producer: Dale Morris & Dan Mitchell; Publisher: Morris Music Group International, BMI; LGR (615-824-5370)
—This broken-hearted, piano-based ballad is well sung and well produced, but never fires off any real sparks.

GARY ALLAN/Kiss Me When I’m Down
Writer: none listed; Producer: none listed; Publisher: none listed; MCA Nashville
—She’s leaving, abandoning various artifacts in her wake, just so he’ll have to call her to come back and retrieve them. As usual, his delivery is gripping. But I don’t know that those strings are needed in the background.

JODY JENKINS/Boy’s Night Out
Writer: Bart Butler/Shane Minor; Producer: Bart Butler, Jody Jenkins & Bobby Jenkins; Publisher: Bill Butler, BMI; Zone 7 (210-498-7908)
—An attempted redneck bopper that can’t seem to make up its mind exactly what tempo it is in.

CRAIG MORGAN/Still a Little Chicken Left On That Bone
Writer: Skip Black/Ken Johnson/Brian Dean Maher; Producer: Phil O’Connell & Craig Morgan; Publisher: Sony-ATV Tree/Southside Independent/Reactive Combustion/Tunes of Bigger Picture, BMI/SESAC/ASCAP; BNA
—The boy can sure ‘nuff sing. On this romper, he’s crowing about sticking to your guns and never yelling “uncle” until it is really and truly over. Sizzling and spicy.

LADY ANTEBELLUM/Hello World
Writer: Tom Douglas/Tony Lane/David Lee; Producer: Paul Worley & Lady Antebellum; Publisher: Sony-ATV/Tomdouglasmusic/Ed and Lucille/Universal-Careers, ASCAP/BMI; Capitol Nashville (track)
—The fourth single from the stellar Need You Now CD is a showcase for the extraordinarily evocative voice of Charles Kelley. It is a ballad that floats on a lovely sonic bed of strings and heartbeat bass. A lyric for family men everywhere and a sound to swoon over.

THE SECRET SISTERS/I’ve Got A Feeling
Writer: none listed; Producer: Dave Cobb; Publisher: none listed; Beladroit (track) (www.secretsisterband.com)
—Beladroit is T Bone Burnett’s new UMG-distributed label. So it should come as no surprise that this duo has a charmingly rootsy, retro sound. The lively ditty comes on like a simple, innocent, ‘50s senior-prom tune.

KEN MELLONS/Tennessee Ridge Runner
Writer: Ken Mellons/Larry Alderman/Chris Myers; Producer: Ken Mellons & Joe Caverlee; Publisher: none listed; Jukebox Junkie (track) (www.kenmellons.net)
—Like Joe Diffie, Patty Loveless and Marty Raybon before him, Ken is taking a left turn from country to bluegrass. The “Jukebox Junkie” man drawls his way through this toe tapper while banjo, Dobro, mandolin and fiddle notes scamper all around him. Highly listenable.

THE JUDDS/I Will Stand By You
Writer: Robert Ellis Orrall/Angelo Petraglia/Steve Lee Olsen; Producer: Don Potter; Publisher: Ten Ten/Orrall Fixation/Slanky Dank/Bug/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Roots Three/Purple Cape, ASCAP/BMI; Curb
—I expected a return to this team’s folkie/acoustic past. Instead, this finale Judds single is a solid, pumping rocker with loads of “bottom” in its sound. A refreshing change of pace and an unmistakably hooky, hit song.

CHRISTY SUTHERLAND/Diggin’ Ditches
Writer: Rich Alves/John Colgin/Christy Sutherland; Producer: Bubba Smith; Publisher: Big Hitmakers/Rainy Graham/Dunwoody/Mattmoosic/Gaither, ASCAP/BMI; New Day (track) (www.christysutherland.net)
—This former Giant and Epic artist has reinvented herself as an award-winning Christian-country stylist. This bluesy outing shows she has lost nothing as a supremely confident singer. Groove soaked.

LORETTA LYNN, SHERYL CROW & MIRANDA LAMBERT/Coal Miner’s Daughter
Writer: Loretta Lynn; Producer: Patsy Lynn Russell & John Carter Cash; Publisher: Sure-Fire, BMI; Columbia
—Loretta kicks off this remake of her signature song with pierced-arrow precision. We should all sound so good at 75. She has retained an astoundingly flawless tone. In fact, it’s all that  Sheryl and Miranda can do to keep up. Each takes turns on the lyric, then all three harmonize and send the thing straight to hillbilly heaven.

Appraising The Strategic Value of Airplay For Indie Artists

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Tom Baldrica

According to conventional wisdom and recent CMA research studies, radio remains a dominant force in shaping the country star constellation. Last year’s CMA study showed that 79% of country fans 18-54 listen to country radio. (The next largest category was 54% that visit the web once or more per month to find country music content.) More recent research has also shown that for country fans, broadcast radio (am/fm) continues to be the “No. 1 source of awareness for new music/artists and news.”

Recognizing radio’s importance as an exposure medium, it is no surprise that new, developing and established country artists place a premium on radio promotion to help move their music up the charts. With the added recognition conveyed by better chart positions and airplay, artists hope to reap benefits in the form of record, ticket and merchandise sales. But what exactly is the correlation between chart position, airplay, promotion costs and return on investment (ROI)? As our graph shows, there is little practical difference in weekly spins per station between No. 50 (7 spins) and No. 30 on the chart (12 spins).

“Over the last couple of years you start to feel some response around the Top 15,” says industry veteran Tom Baldrica who recently served as Sony Nashville VP Marketing. Baldrica was integral in artist development, new media and more for the label, plus previously headed its BNA Records Promotion team. “At that level on the radio side you can start to make a research impact and more importantly it places you in a position to start selling. But near the bottom of the chart, spins are one thing and audience impressions are another. If you look at a song at No. 50, 40 or 30, on any given station it’s being played less than two times a day and not being heard in daylight hours by any stretch of the imagination. Morning shows have the biggest cume. Mid-days are also very strong. Then there are afternoons and evenings where it drops off dramatically and finally overnights. So if you aren’t inside the Top 15 and in a rotation where your song is being heard 25-30 plus times a week at any particular radio station then the odds of people hearing it are slim and none. I’ve always thought of it as a Top 15 game and it could be even more of a Top 10 game right now for real volume.”

So what is Baldrica’s advice for indie artists? “You’re out of your mind to play the national chart game as an independent,” says Baldrica. “What you should be doing as an independent is looking regionally. If you’ve got a radio station playing your record then build around that airplay and get a network of stations within that little geographical area to play it. Folks in this game on the indie side don’t have the major label resources, the major label promo team and the major label leverage so they are better off building little fires. Build the opportunity to go into a region and be able to perform, get some airplay, sell some downloads and/or physical product and then return a few months later. Hopefully, if you are a good entertainer people will want to see you and bring a friend. You’ll double your crowd then double it again and again over time. That’s the way to chase it. The national charts thing is like trying to put a bunch of seeds on a large amount of acreage by yourself. You’re not going to get a lot of plants to grow. But if you focus on a small part of the garden, then nurture and water, some plants might start to grow.”

(Baldrica can be reached at [email protected])

Photos: Country Artists Make The Rounds

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Grascals On the Gridiron
Two-time IBMA Entertainers of the Year The Grascals sang the National Anthem during the Tennessee Titans vs. Pittsburgh Steelers pre-game ceremonies last Sunday (9/19). “It was a huge honor to sing the National Anthem for our favorite NFL team,” said Grascal Jamie Johnson.

(l-r): Terry Eldredge, Jamie Johnson, Jeremy Abshire, Kristin Scott Benson, Danny Roberts and Terry Smith (Photo Courtesy of So Much Moore Media)

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Eldredge & Lee at CRB
Warner Music Nashville/Atlantic Records artists Brett Eldredge and Jesse Lee performed for the Country Radio Broadcasters’ Board of Directors as part of the CRB’s recent board meetings in Nashville.

(l-r): CRB and Warner executives pose with WMN/Atlantic artists Eldredge and Lee at the Nashville Warner offices. L to R, top row: CRB board member Keith Kaufman, Warner Music Nashville President/CEO John Esposito, CRB Executive Director Bill Mayne, board member Becky Brenner, Eldredge, Warner VP/Promotion Chris Palmer, CRB President Mike Culotta. Bottom row, L ro R: Warner SVP/Promotion Chris Stacey, Lee. Photo: Kristen England

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Craig Campbell Does Seattle
Bigger Picture Group artist Craig Campbell has been on a radio tour supporting his current single, “Family Man.” The singer/songwriter was recently in Seattle and paid a visit to KKWF/Seattle.

(l-r): Mike Preston (PD, KKWF/Seattle), Craig Campbell Wingnut (MD, KKWF/Seattle)

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Salamon Named CEO of Savannah Music Group

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Ed Salamon and Chairman Jeff Cohen. (PRNewsFoto/Savannah Music Group)

Ed Salamon has been named chief executive officer of Savannah Music Group, effective Oct. 1. Salamon approached SMG President Dave Gibson after Savannah took the unprecedented step among music publishing companies and record labels of opposing mandatory Performance Rights fee legislation. Since both believe that proposed legislation could reduce the amount of music played on radio and be especially damaging to small independent companies like SMG, the veteran broadcast executive offered his help. Having known Salamon from his days as namesake of the Gibson-Miller Band and pleased to find a like-minded executive with a broad background in the music industry, Gibson introduced Salamon to Savannah Music Group Chairman Jeff Cohen.

“Ed is one of the most dynamic and well-connected people in the music industry,” says Cohen in making the appointment. “He has a great track record in the entertainment industry and with start ups, and we are pleased to have him lead Savannah Music Group.”

Salamon is former President-Programming of Westwood One Radio Network and a co-founder and partner with Dick Clark in the United Stations Radio Network. Most recently he served as Executive Director for Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc., the non-profit organization that presents the Country Radio Seminar (CRS).

DISClaimer Pop/Rock Single Reviews (9/20/10)

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It’s high time we checked up on Nashville’s ever-expanding pop/rock community.

There’s a little big of everything to sample, from the hard rock of November to the singer-songwriter vibe of Alyssa Bonagura, from the over-the-top personality of Joanna Cotten to the introspective-and-hooky Dave Barnes, from the soul sisters of Kentucky Thunder to the new-wavey Jeff the Brotherhood.

The Disc of the Day unquestionably belongs to the pounding, mighty American Bang. I’m giving a DisCovery Award to the marvelously melodic Brooke Waggoner.

BROOKE WAGGONER/Go Easy Little Doves, I’ll Be Fine
Writer: Brooke Waggoner; Producer: Brooke Waggoner; Publisher: Swoon Moon/Brooke Waggoner, BMI; BW (track) (www.brookewaggoner.com)
—Last year’s winner of the Next Big Nashville Emerging Artist award at the Nashville Music Awards has a stunning pop collection full of gorgeous string arrangements and sweeping sonic landscapes. On the CD’s title ballad, she layers her soprano vocals and wafts airily amid piano and violin washes. Invite this woman into your life.

AMERICAN BANG/Wild And Young
Writer: Jaren Johnston/Neil Mason/James Michael; Producer: Bob Rock; Publisher: Sony-ATV Harmony/Texa Rae/Silent Cue/Music of Combustion/Bug/Songs of Windswept Pacific/Little Big Guy/Warner-Tamerlane, ASCAP/BMI; Reprise (track) (www.americanbang.com)
—I am addicted to this album. American Bang is aiming to join Paramore, Jack White and Kings of Leon as Nashville-based, major-label rock stars. This ultra-catchy, rocking new single has a pile-driving Springsteeny vibe, but with more youthful vocals. Buy American Bang at once. I guarantee you will dig ‘em.

JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD/Heavy Days
Writer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Producer: Jeff the Brotherhood; Publisher: Jeff the Brotherhood, ASCAP; Infinity Cat (track)
—Jeff the Brotherhood is comprised of Robert Ellis Orrall’s sons Jake and Jamin Orrall. This title tune to their CD begins with bees buzzing over a steady Jamin beat and then romps into a jittery, new-wavey party piece. Quirky and loads of fun.

NOVEMBER/Sugarfree
Writer: Michael Dale; Producer: The One and Onlys; Publisher: none listed; 55BC (track) (www.novembernow.com)
—The title tune to this Nashville rock band’s CD is a mighty slab of sound. If you like it loud and proud and in your face, November is the act for you. This is aggressively hard rocking, screaming-guitars stuff.

JOANNA COTTEN/Sexy Rich
Writer: Joanna Cotten/Angie Russell/Daryl Burgess; Producer: Joanna Cotten; Publisher: none listed; JC (track) (www.joannacotten.com)
—Joanna made a marvelous CD for Warners country division, but it never came out. So she turned around and made a pop album for herself. This bopping track bubbles with personality and effervescent attitude. The lyric is all about our celeb/tabloid world. You will smile while you tap your toes.

KENTUCKY THUNDER/Paper Thin
Writer: J. Hiatt; Producer: Kentucky Thunder; Publisher: Universal, BMI; KT (track) (www.kentuckythundergirls.com)
—For the past 14 years, these four sizzling soul sisters from the Blue Grass State have been burning down Nashville nightclubs. Now, finally, Etta Britt, Vicki Carrico, Sheila Lawrence and Jonell Mosser have recorded a CD. It documents one of their rafter raising performances at 3rd & Lindsley last April and is titled, fittingly, ‘Bout Damn Time. The four come blazing out of the starting gate with this rocking Hiatt number. Other extra hot slabs of soul include Mosser’s “One Thing I Know” and Britt’s “Baton Rouge.” Their a cappella, set-closing quartet harmony vocal on Stephen Foster’s “My Old Kentucky Home” will leave you with your jaw ajar.

ALYSSA BONAGURA/Leaving This Heartache For A Song
Writer: Alyssa Bonagura; Producer: Alyssa Bonagura; Publisher: Alright Love, ASCAP; AB (track) (www.myspace.com/alyssabonaguramusic)
—Alyssa is the daughter of Kathie Baillie and Michael Bonagura of Baillie & The Boys fame. So you know she’s got singing in her genes. Here’s the rest of it. She got a scholarship to Paul McCartney’s music school in Liverpool. When she played her original songs there, she was told she was already too good to be a songwriting major, so why didn’t she study audio engineering instead? And that’s how she came to create her The English Diaries CD, on which she plays, sings and produces everything. I am particularly taken with this acoustic ballad on it. The thing sounds exactly like a hit.

DAVE BARNES /God Gave Me You
Writer: Dave Barnes; Producer: Ed Cash & Dave Barnes; Publisher: No Gang/Razor & Tie, ASCAP; Razor & Tie (track) (www.davebarnes.com)
—I remain a fan. This single from Dave’s What We Want, What We Get collection manages to be both crunchy and twinkling at the same time. The buzzing guitars in the choruses are cool, too. The brilliant dynamics in this record’s production prove beyond any doubt whatsoever that Nashville is so much more than country music.

Weekly Chart Report (9/17/10)

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Bigger Picture Group artist and "Family Man" singer and tunesmith Craig Campbell was recently in Arizona and paid a visit to Tucson's KIIM Picture (L-R): Buzz Jackson (PD, KIIM/Tuscon) and Campbell

RADIO NEWS
Following Lotus Broadcasting’s flip of KUUB to sports, several staff members have exited. Those departing include MD/afternoons Big Chris Hart (775-830-1320 or [email protected]), morning co-host Woody (775-842-4314 or [email protected]) and morning co-host Malayna (775-219-3032 or [email protected]). KUUB will also be removed from MusicRow’s CountryBreakout reporting panel beginning with the upcoming week.

SPIN ZONE
There’s a new No. 1 on the CountryBreakout Chart and it belongs to Kenny Chesney’s impeccably timed “The Boys of Fall.” Chesney’s latest gets a gain of 59 spins, enough to keep it just ahead of Darius Rucker’s “Come Back Song” which moves up to No. 2. Closing out the top 5 with improved positioning are Toby Keith’s “Trailerhood” at No. 3, Easton Corbin’s “Roll With It” at No. 4, and Taylor Swift’s “Mine” at No. 5.

Several older singles are moving out, and having a little extra room to breathe should make everyone happy. Like Jason Aldean’s “My Kinda Party” (No. 21) and Carrie Underwood’s “Mama’s Song” (No. 22), both of which enjoy some big movement this week. Also making quick strides are Dierks Bentley’s “Draw Me A Map” at No. 25, David Adam Byrnes’ “Sweet Distraction” at No. 30, and James Otto’s “Soldiers & Jesus” at No. 34.

Keith Urban’s latest, “Put You In A Song,” makes a big splashy debut at No. 44, collecting 677 new spins in the process.  Also debuting are Randy Houser’s “A Man Like Me” (No. 71), Jesse Lee’s “Like My Mother Does” (No. 72), Tommy Steele’s “Forever 17” (No. 75), Craig Campbell’s “Family Man” (No. 76), Chris Heers’ “Happy Thought” (No. 77), Brett Eldredge’s “Raymond” (No. 79), and Adam Brand’s “Ready For Love” (No. 80).

Frozen Playlists: KUUB, KKAJ


Upcoming Singles
September 20
LoCash Cowboys/Keep In Mind/Stroudavarious
Troy Olsen/Good Hands/EMI Records Nashville
Keith Urban/Put It In A Song/Capitol
Scott Lindsey/Get To Her In A Hurry/Gray Trailer
Blake Shelton/Who Are You When I’m Not Looking/RepriseWMN

September 27
Sara Evans/A Little Bit Stronger/RCA
Randy Houser/A Man Like Me/Show Dog – Universal
Jerrod Niemann/What Do You Want/Arista/Sea Gayle
Gary Allan/Kiss Me When I’m Down/MCA
Bellamy Brothers/Back In The Day/Bellamy Brothers
Margaret Durante/Mississippi’s Cryin’/Emrose/Stroudavarious/Nine North

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New On The Chart—Debuting This Week
Artist/song/label — chart pos.
Keith Urban/Put You In A Song/Capitol — 44
Randy Houser/A Man Like Me/Show Dog – Universal — 71
Jesse Lee/Like My Mother Does/Atlantic/WMN — 72
Tommy Steele/Forever 17 — 75
Craig Campbell/Family Man/Bigger Picture — 76
Chris Heers/Happy Thought — 77
Brett Eldredge/Raymond/Atlantic — 79
Adam Brand/Ready For Love/Arista — 80

Greatest Spin Increase
Artist/song/label — spin+
Keith Urban/Put You In A Song/Capitol — 677
Carrie Underwood/Mama’s Song/Arista — 433
Blake Shelton/Who Are You When I’m Not Looking/Reprise/WMN — 432
Zac Brown Band feat. Alan Jackson/As She’s Walking Away/Atlantic/BPP — 309
Sugarland/Stuck Like Glue/Mercury — 259

On Deck—Soon To Be Charting
Artist/song/label — spins
Jerrod Niemann/What Do You Want/Arista/Sea Gayle — 207
Brad Wolf/I Make A Difference/Evergreen — 200
Andy Vello/Hank It Up/LoozLip Records — 199
LoCash Cowboys/Keep In Mind/Stroudavarious — 197
Gwyneth Paltrow/Country Strong/RCA — 177

Two Week Most Added*
Artist/song/label — New adds
Keith Urban/Put You In A Song/Capitol — 53
Blake Shelton/Who Are You When I’m Not Looking/Reprise/WMN — 34
Craig Morgan/Still A Little Chicken Left On That Bone/BNA — 16
Randy Houser/A Man Like Me/Show Dog – Universal — 14
Brad Wolf/I Make A Difference/Evergreen — 13
Carrie Underwood/Mama’s Song/19/Arista — 12

Arista Nashville recording artist Adam Brand continued his Branding of America radio tour this week with a stop at WFMS/Indianapolis, where lunch was served, songs were sung, and the requisite trade shot was taken. Brand's is new on the radio with his U.S. debut single, “Ready for Love.” Pictured (L-R): WFMS PD Steve Cannon, Brand, WFMS MD JD Cannon, Arista Nashville’s RJ Curtis.

Curb recording artist Ashley Gearing visited with WXCY/Wilmington after her performance on the station-sponsored show at The Mushroom Festival in Kennett Square, PA. Pictured below (L to R): Tim Hartley (WXCY), Dave Hovel (WXCY PD), Maurisa Pasick (New Revolution), Ashley Gearing, and Rob Dalton (New Revolution). Photo Credit: Lisa Boullt

Cumulus Goes Commercial Free For Habitat

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On Tuesday, October 12, Cumulus Nashville’s five radio stations (Classic Hits 97.1 RQQ, 95.5 The Wolf, i106 All the Hits, SuperTalk 99.7 WTN and 92Q), will go commercial free from 6:00 AM to 7:00 PM to raise money for the Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity (NAHFH).

NAHFH invests in people and property, converting renters to homeowners through mortgage education, financial planning, and zero-rate home loans, providing life-changing assistance and breaking the cycle of poverty “one home, one family, one community at a time.” Listeners will be encouraged to donate money and/or time to “Build a Better Nashville” by providing assistance to the charity during the radiothon. Donations can be made by calling 615-312-3535 or online at www.habitatnashville.org.

Ninety-three percent of NAHFH’s annual budget is derived from private donations. Monies raised will stay local and support the Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity organization. NAHFH is ranked in the top one percent of Habitat for Humanity International Affiliates in the world. Its communities have also received the 2010 Energy Star Award for Sustained Excellence, providing lower energy costs and a smaller carbon footprint.

“Cumulus Nashville is proud to support an organization that is not only charitable, but one that demonstrates this level of excellence,” states Mark Sullivan, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Cumulus Nashville.  “The Nashville Area Habitat for Humanity plays a vital role in bettering the community in which we live and work.”

Rich Helps Bring Country Back to NYC

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Country music’s coming to the city with the help of Reprise Records artist, John Rich. Ocean County, New Jersey’s country station, THUNDER 98.5 FM, recently announced the re-position of two of its radio formats beginning today (9/15). In their new expansion, the station will begin broadcasting into central New Jersey expanding to New York City and kicking off their big switch with Rich’s appropriately titled single, “Country Done Come to Town.”

“I’m so pumped to be part of history in the making,” says Rich of the station’s recent expansion. “THUNDER has been incredibly supportive of my music and it is an honor for me to help kick off country music in NYC with ‘Country Done Come to Town.’”

On Wednesday, Ocean County’s Country THUNDER 98.5FM will move up the dial to 106.5FM in Ocean County and also simulcast on 106.3FM in Monmouth County. HIT 106, which formerly broadcasted on 106.3FM/106.5FM will take its Top 40 format and re-position it on 98.5FM. THUNDER 98.5FM will become THUNDER 106 and expand its reach to bring country music to a new level in central New Jersey.

“Country Music is a format with an extremely loyal listener base”, says Rich Morena, General Manager and Partner of Press. “We saw the void in Monmouth County and the demand was overwhelming from our Monmouth County fan base and now we are expanding our reach to meet that demand.”