Bluegrass Mandolin Great Roland White Passes

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Roland White

Bluegrass Hall of Fame member and Grammy Award winner Roland White died at age 83 on April 1 following complications from a heart attack.

White was a top-flight mandolinist noted for his work in The Kentucky Colonels, Country Gazette and The Nashville Bluegrass Band. He was widely loved for his musical generosity, for his welcoming of newcomers, for his mentorship of youngsters and for being a kindly ambassador of Nashville music.

 

White was born in Maine, where he began his career in a band with his siblings. When he was 16, the family relocated to California. He and his guitarist brother Clarence White (1944-1973) formed The Kentucky Colonels in Burbank in 1954. It became one of the most influential bluegrass bands of the 1960s.

The Kentucky Colonels disbanded at the end of 1965, and Clarence White joined The Byrds. Roland White moved to Nashville and joined Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys for two years, 1967-69, then became a member of Lester Flatt’s band, The Nashville Grass in 1969-73. While in Flatt’s group, he was instrumental in recruiting as a band member the 13-year-old Marty Stuart, a fellow mandolinist.

Billed as The New Kentucky Colonels, the Whites’ original star-making group reorganized in 1973 and began touring again. The reunion was short lived. Clarence White was killed by a drunk driver while loading band equipment into his car following a concert.

Grief stricken Roland White carried on, becoming a member of the progressive bluegrass group Country Gazette in 1973-77. He became a part of the “founding family” of The Station Inn when it opened in 1974. The venue has since acquired a worldwide reputation as a bluegrass-music Mecca. White was a welcoming presence there, particularly after its relocation to The Gulch in Nashville in 1978.

J.T. Gray bought The Station Inn in 1981 and it became a proving ground for The Whites, Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Alison Krauss, Sam Bush and other up-and-comers. Roland White was their resident greeter. During this period, White also recorded solo albums in 1976 and 1984.

Bluegrass superstars began dropping into the venue, often after appearing on the Grand Ole Opry. Bill Monroe, Jimmy Martin, Peter Rowan and Bobby Osborne were known to stop by to pick and sing in the 1980s. Since then, a who’s-who of bluegrass has played at the club.

In 1989, Roland White became a member of The Nashville Bluegrass Band. During the next few years, he recorded five albums with the group, including the Grammy winning Watin’ for the Hard Times to Go (1994) and Unleashed (1996).

A singer and guitarist as well as a mandolin virtuoso, Roland White formed his own group in 2000. The Roland White Band recorded albums in 2003 and 2018.

He continued to sit in at Station Inn jam sessions. He curated an annual Bill Monroe Tribute night at the club and organized many benefit shows for musicians in need.

During his long career, White appeared on recordings with Mac Wiseman, Doc Watson, Clint Black, Ry Cooder, Marty Stuart, Alan Munde, Bernadette Peters, Ricky Skaggs, Valarie Smith, Stuart Duncan, David Grier, Gene Wooten, Glenn Duncan, Bobby Hicks, The Whites, Bill Monroe, Lester Flatt, Butch Robbins and many others.

Roland White was inducted into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame in 2017. His band The Kentucky Colonels was inducted in 2019.

He is survived by his wife and musical partner Diane Bouska, daughter Roline Hodge, son Lawrence Lee LeBlanc, sister Rosemarie Johnson, two grandchildren and a great-grandchild. There will be a visitation from 3-7 PM on Wednesday (April 6) at Spring Hill Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5110 Gallatin Pike. A celebration of life will be organized at a future date.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the International Bluegrass Music Association Foundation at bluegrassfoundation.org.

Big Machine Music Signs Mike Eli To Co-Publishing Agreement

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Pictured (L-R): Big Machine Music’s General Manager Mike Molinar, Eli Young Band’s Mike Eli, Manager, Publishing Lizzy Rector. Photo: Courtesy of Big Machine Music

Mike Eli, frontman of the multi-Platinum Eli Young Band, has signed an exclusive co-publishing agreement with Big Machine Music, a subsidiary of HYBE America.

Eli co-penned seven of the nine songs featured on the band’s upcoming album Love Talking, due out June 3 via The Valory Music Co. His catalog also features fan-favorites throughout the band’s 20-year run, which has produced four chart-topping singles.

“Much like his unmistakable vocals, Mike’s songwriting cuts through with a warmth that is unique and captivating,” says BMM General Manager Mike Molinar. “He’s also one of the coolest and genuinely nicest guys on the planet. We are so honored to be his publisher partner!”

Eli shares, “Big Machine has been Eli Young Band’s home for years now and it just felt right to start this next chapter with the folks that brought us to the party!”

Eli joins Laura Veltz, Jessie Jo Dillon, Ryan Hurd, Brett Young, Brandy Clark, Eric Paslay, Maddie & Tae, Sara Davis, Matt Dragstem and more at Big Machine Music, the reigning AIMP Nashville Publisher of the Year.

Maren Morris Breaks Amazon Music Global Streaming Record

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Maren Morris. Photo: Harper Smith

Maren Morris‘ new album Humble Quest debuted at No. 2 on Billboard’s Top Country Albums chart this week. The project also broke the record for the most first day and first week streams globally on Amazon Music for a country album by a female artist.

Produced by frequent collaborator Greg Kurstin and written alongside her husband Ryan Hurd, Julia Michaels, Jimmy Robbins, Natalie Hemby, Laura Veltz and Jon Green, Humble Quest traces Morris’ journey and the ups and downs of life through snapshots of her experiences. She began writing the project’s songs at the beginning of the pandemic as a series of major life changes unfolded–new motherhood, an upended career, the death of beloved friend/collaborator Michael Busbee and more–further compounded by lockdown.

She will head out this June on the “Humble Quest Tour,” playing headline dates across the U.S. with stops at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, New York’s Radio City Music Hall, Los Angeles’ Hollywood Bowl, the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater, and more.

NPR’s World Cafe To Celebrate 30th Anniversary With Two Events In Nashville

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To celebrate the 30th anniversary of the NPR-syndicated music radio program World Cafe, artists Lizzie No, Amythyst Kiah, Devon Gilfillian and Keb’ Mo’ will perform on live webcasts on April 5 and 6 from the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville.

Starting at 7:30 pm CT, World Cafe host Raina Douris will interview No and Kiah today (April 5), and Gilfillian and Mo on (April 6). Each artist will also perform, with both events webcast live at xpn.org and NPR Live Sessions.

“It’s no secret that Nashville is a vital center for music. World Cafe established a bureau in Nashville in 2016, and we’re honored to partner with the National Museum of African American Music to go even deeper with our coverage of the exciting and diverse music coming from Nashville and throughout the Southern US,” shares Douris.

“The National Museum of African American Music is excited to partner with World Cafe as we continue our efforts of preserving and celebrating the many music genres created, influenced, and inspired by African Americans,” adds Brennen Boose, Senior Manager of Marketing and Communications.

World Cafe is known for its carefully curated platform for musical discovery without genre boundaries. It is currently carried by 267 radio stations across the United States.

Bob DiPiero, Natalie Hemby, Tim Nichols, More Close Out Tin Pan South 2022

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Pictured (L-R): Jeffrey Steele, Natalie Hemby, Kevin Kadish, and Ben Burgess hangin’ out at The Listening Room Cafe, Photo: Savannah Grimm/NSAI

The 30th Annual Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival came to a close this weekend after five days of songwriter rounds from over 400 talented songwriters.

On Friday (April 1), festival-goers were treated to performances from Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon, Rodney Clawson, Tim Nichols, Bob DiPiero, JT Harding, Kelley Lovelace, Dan Wilson, Corey Crowder, RaeLynn, David Hodges, Alex Kline, Smith Ahnquist, and more at venues across Music City.

On Saturday (April 2), the festival closed with music from Natalie Hemby, Jeffrey Steele, Steve Dorff, Kelly Archer, Trent Harmon, Neil Medley, Nathan Chapman, Kevin Kadish, and more.

In addition to the rounds and networking events that took place this year during Tin Pan South, Nashville Songwriters Association International also hosted the first-ever in-person NSAI Member Awards, presented by Regions Bank. The invitation-only event was held at Analog at the Hutton Hotel in Nashville and included an array of performances.

“We have thousands of songwriter members who may not describe themselves as professional songwriters, but write amazing songs, are outstanding performers, and deserve recognition for their work,” said NSAI Executive Director Bart Herbison. “This is one of the most exciting additions to NSAI’s programming in years and we applaud Regions Bank for underwriting this event. Nothing could be more in line with the part of our mission statement that says: ‘to educate, elevate and celebrate the songwriter.'”

Pictured: NSAI Member Awards (presented by Regions Bank). Photo: Savannah Grimm/NSAI

Awards were voted on by NSAI’s global membership and NSAI staff. See the full list of winners below.

Dates have already been announced for the 2023 Tin Pan South Songwriters Festiva, taking place March 28 through April 1, 2023.

NSAI 2021 & 2022 Member Award Winners:
Online Pitch Award: Sarah Jones (2021); Kate Zickler (2022)
Song Evaluation Award: Nell Maynard (2021); Hayden Cain (2022)
NSAI Mentor Awards: Greg Wilson (2021); Jahnavi Goldstein (2022)
NSAI One to Watch Award: Ben Johnson (2021); John Frank (2022)
NSAI New Member of The Year: Brett Trout (2021); Beldon Burch (2022)
Volunteer of The Year: Herb Chafin (2021); Michelle Pereira (2022)
Friends of NSAI: Preshias Harris (2022)
Graduate Award: Kyle James, Sarah Jones, Kelly McKay, and Megan Barker (2021); Lily Rose, Martin McDaniel, Sara Haze, and Aubrey Toone (2022)
Chapter of The Year: Oklahoma City, OK Chapter (2021); Tidewater, VA Chapter (2022)
Chapter Coordinator of The Year: Kathy Kay Wallace of the St. Louis, MO Chapter (2021); Scott Forman of the New York City, NY Chapter (2022)
Todd Givens Scholarship Winner: Jesse LaBelle (2021); Ben Wagner (2022)
NSAI Song Contest Winners: Matthew Soileau (2021); Claire Bunnik (2022)
Anthem Chapter Challenge Winners: Sal Cosentino, Linda Sclafani (2021); David Unlayao, Kathy Kay Wallace, and Emily Bea (2022)

Pictured (L-R): Bob DiPiero, JT Harding, and Tim Nichols performing at 3rd & Lindsley’s early show (stage sponsored by Visit Music City). Photo: Savannah Grimm/NSAI

Pictured (L-R): Jim “Moose” Brown, Teea Goans, Buddy Cannon, and Bill Anderson taking over The Bluebird Cafe (stage sponsored by Academy of Country Music), Photo: Erika Wollam Nichols

Pictured: Tom Douglas captivates his audience during “Love, Tom” at and in partnership with The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Photo: Brittni Talley/NSAI

Shane McAnally Notches Second Week Atop MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart

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Shane McAnally. Photo: Robby Klein

Shane McAnally nabs his second consecutive week at the top of the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart this week. He is a co-writer on five currently charting songs, including Old Dominion’s “No Hard Feelings,” Kenny Chesney’s “Everyone She Knows,” Walker Hayes’ “AA,” Sam Hunt’s “23,” and Carly Pearce & Ashley McBryde’s “Never Wanted To Be That Girl.”

Ashley Gorley, who is a co-writer on such songs as “New Truck” (Dylan Scott), “Sand In My Boots” (Morgan Wallen), “Beers On Me” (Dierks Bentley, Hardy & Breland), “Slow Down Summer” (Thomas Rhett), “Give Heaven Some Hell” (Hardy), “Take My Name” (Parmalee), and “You Didn’t” (Brett Young), takes the second spot.

Eric Church continues to show the power of a solo write as the only writer on his hit single, “Heart On Fire,” meaning all of the points earned from the song’s airplay, digital download track sales, and streams go entirely to him on the Songwriter Chart.

Michael Hardy (No. 4) and Ben Johnson (No. 5) fill out the remainder of the top five on the MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

The weekly MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart uses algorithms based upon song activity according to airplay, digital download track sales and streams. This unique and exclusive addition to the MusicRow portfolio is the only songwriter chart of its kind.

Click here to view the full MusicRow Top Songwriter Chart.

Weekly Register: Maren Morris’ ‘Humble Quest’ Makes Top Country Album & Song Debut

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Maren Morris

Maren Morris made waves on the top country albums chart this week with her new project, Humble Quest. The album debuts at No. 2 this week on the country chart and No. 21 overall with 22K in total first-week consumption (11K album only/14 million song streams). Morris also earns the top country song debut this week as “Nervous” comes in at No. 37 with 3 million total streams.

Morgan Wallen continues his run at the top of the country albums chart with Dangerous: The Double Album adding 45K in total consumption (1.4K album only/54 million song streams). Luke Combs takes the third spot with What You See Is What You Get gaining 18K, as well as fifth as This One’s For You gains 16K in total consumption. Taylor Swift‘s Red (Taylor’s Version) fills out the top five, coming in at No. 4 with 17K in total consumption.

On the songs side, “Buy Dirt” (Jordan Davis & Luke Bryan) earn a fifth week at No. 1, earning another 6.3 million streams and contributing to a cumulative 226 million streams RTD. “‘Til You Can’t” (Cody Johnson) remains in second with 6 million streams. “AA” (Walker Hayes) and “Doin’ This” (Luke Combs) trade places this week with Hayes taking the third spot at 5.8 million streams and Combs narrowly falling to fourth. “Wasted On You” (Morgan Wallen) seals the top five, adding 5.7 million streams this week.

Nashville Well Represented At 64th Annual Grammy Awards

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Brothers Osborne. Photo: Lindsey Byrnes

Musicians, songwriters and industry professionals of all genres came together in Las Vegas Sunday night (April 3) for the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, hosted by Trevor Noah.

Chris Stapleton was country music’s big winner of the evening. In addition to his wins in the pre-televised ceremony for Best Country Solo Performance for “You Should Probably Leave” and Best Country Song for “Cold,” he took home the only televised country award, Best Country Album, for Starting Over.

Stapleton spoke eloquently when he approached the mic to accept his award. He started his speech by mentioning that it was his twins’ fourth birthday. “I’m thinking a lot about sacrifices because I missed out on some of their birthday toady,” Stapleton said. “I know everybody in this room has made some kind of a sacrifice to be up here doing this. I don’t know what it is for everybody, but I know that it hurts sometimes. Hopefully we’re all doing it so that we make the world a better place and that the people who live in it will love each other, have a good time together, and come together.”

Chris Stapleton. Photo: Becky Fluke

Producer Dave Cobb beamed onward, and thanked God and his family when he had his time to speak. Stapleton and Cobb later took the stage to perform his Grammy-winning song, “Cold.” As usual, Stapleton’s extraordinary skill left the Grammy audience on their feet.

Another powerful country performance came from Carrie Underwood, who took home a trophy for Best Roots Gospel Album for her hymns record My Savior. Underwood performed a rousing rendition of her new single, “Ghost Story.”

Both Stapleton and Underwood, along with other artists throughout the evening, were introduced by personnel from their touring crew—an homage to the pandemic’s havoc on the live music segment of the industry. Stapleton was introduced by his assistant tour manager and Underwood by her wardrobe supervisor.

Brothers Osborne closed the evening with a rocking “Dead Man’s Curve.” Before the televised ceremony, the duo won their first Grammy ever for Best Country Duo/Group Performance for “Younger Me.” In an emotional acceptance speech, TJ Osborne spoke about the magnitude of the win, given his sexuality in country music.

“For those of you who do not know, this song was written in response to me coming out,” TJ said. “I never thought that I would be able to do music professionally because of my sexuality. I certainly never thought I would be here on this stage accepting a Grammy after having done something I felt was going to be life-changing in potentially a very negative way.”

After thanking his wife, team and brother, John Osborne said, “This song is called ‘Younger Me,’ so I think if I want to thank somebody, I want to thank my younger self for pursuing this. We all have a younger self in us. Thank them because they got you here.”

Carrie Underwood. Photo: David Jay Becker, Getty Images

Brandi Carlile gave a stunning performance of “Right On Time,” after being introduced by two legends, Joni Mitchell and Bonnie Raitt. First-time Grammy winners Maverick City Music became the first Christian artist to perform at the ceremony in over 20 years. Billy Strings also got some screen time when he played “Hide and Seek.”

Other standout performances of the evening included Jon Batiste, who was the most nominated artist of the night and who took home Album of the Year, as well as Olivia Rodrigo‘s rendition of “Driver’s License,” Billie Eilish‘s rocking performance of “Happier Than Ever,” a medley of hits from Lil Nas X, BTS’ performance of “Butter,” and H.E.R.’s rendition of “Damage,” alongside Jimmy Jam, Terry Lewis, Lenny Kravitz and Travis Barker.

John Legend led a touching tribute to the violence in Ukraine, complete with a videotaped speech from Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky.

Nashville music-makers and business people recognized in the In Memoriam segment of the show included Tom T. Hall, Connie Bradley, Stonewall Jackson, Don Everly, Bobbie Nelson, Nanci Griffith, Dallas Frazier, and more.

Click here for a list of Nashville-related Grammy winners.

Lauren Alaina Parts Ways With UMG Nashville

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Lauren Alaina. Photo: Katie Kauss

Lauren Alaina is parting ways with her long-time label UMG Nashville, MusicRow has confirmed. In a social media message posted on Monday (April 4), Alaina wrote that she had come to the “tough decision to spread [her] wings and close a very important chapter of [her life.]”

Alaina signed with UMG imprint Mercury Nashville after she placed as the runner-up on the tenth season of American Idol in 2011. The singer-songwriter has gone on to become a multi-Platinum-selling artist, with three No. 1 singles including 2017’s “Road Less Traveled,” the now 6x Platinum “What Ifs” (2018) with Kane Brown, and “One Beer” (2020) with Hardy and Devin Dawson.

Alaina released her third album, Sitting Pretty On Top of the World, in September of 2021 and was welcomed as a Grand Ole Opry cast member in February.

In her social media post, Alaina thanked her Mercury team who took a chance on her, and let her fans know that “exciting things” were on the horizon for her career. It’s unclear if Alaina has plans to sign another recording contract or if she will remain independent.

Industry Ink: Big Loud, Southern Signal Nashville, IBMA, Z100

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Big Loud Records Adds H. Read Davis As Senior Director, Digital

H. Read Davis. Photo: Chris Hornbuckle

Big Loud Records has added H. Read Davis as Senior Director of Digital, effective immediately. A Belmont University alum and Texas native, Davis joins Big Loud after previous stops at Spotify as Social Media Manager and Crowd Surf as Director of Creative Operations. He also interned at Chrysalis Music Group, Propel Music Group and Big Yellow Dog Music.

At Spotify, Davis collaborated on the multi-faceted launch of Spotify’s ’90s Country campaign, helped launch Spotify Hot Country’s annual Artists to Watch initiative, led social marketing campaigns around their most-viewed livestream at launch time with pop singer Lauv, and offered expertise on key album campaigns for artists including Adele, Thomas Rhett, Kacey Musgraves and more. At Crowd Surf, Davis helped orchestrate the social presence of Steven Tyler’s Janie‘s Fund charity, mapped out promotional strategy and on-site content capture for Seth Rogen‘s annual Hilarity for Charity event, and worked on social strategy, content, and release promotions for Cody Johnson, Black Eyed Peas, Matthew West, Chris Rock, and more.

“We are extremely excited to bring Read Davis on board at Big Loud,” shares SVP of Marketing, Candice Watkins. “Read’s attitude and expertise in digital culture made him an exceptional fit for our team; his leadership and creative contributions are already making an impact.”

“I’m so grateful to the entire Big Loud team for letting me join in the fun,” Davis adds. “It’s an incredible pool of talented minds doing incredible things for a roster of wildly talented artists, and I can’t wait to jump in.”

 

Southern Signal Launches For Independent Artists

Pictured (L-R): Ben Goodvich, Rob Harvell, Jason Cross, Chase Butler, Bruce Johnson-Castille

Ben Goodvich, Chase Butler, Rob Harvell and Bruce Johnson-Castille, who collectively tally over 50 years of music industry experience, have launched Southern Signal Nashville, a company aimed at developing independent artists. Jason Cross marks the company’s flagship signee.

“Southern Signal is an opportunity for us to work with talented and hardworking independent artists that are just a few contacts and resources away from accomplishing their dreams,” the founders explain. “Cross is loved the second he enters a room or steps on a stage. We have not met anyone in Nashville that is more loved by the locals for not just his incredible talent as an artist but also for being a genuinely great person. We’re excited to work with Jason to show the world what Nashville has seen for the past year and a half he has lived in town.”

“I’m absolutely thrilled and blessed to be signing a management deal with Southern Signal. It’s honestly such a perfect scenario to be guided and supported in the music industry by such hard working and motivated people such as the guys on this team. I know for a fact these men are driven to see me succeed and I also know they have what it takes to accelerate my music career,” Cross shares. “I’m fired up to take the leap into this next chapter of my life and excited to see what it has in store for me, Southern Signal, and anyone who becomes a part of this team in the future. God is good!”

IBMA Foundation Announces 2022 Grant Recipients For 2022 Arnold Schultz

The IBMA Foundation has awarded a total of $19,170 in Arnold Shultz Fund project grants to programs and individuals in Alaska, Arizona, California, China, Hawaii, Kenya, and North Carolina. Established in 2020, the Arnold Shultz Fund serves to encourage participation in bluegrass music by people of color.

“We’re proud to announce a significant increase in the amount of Shultz Fund grants in 2022, compared to the $12,050 we awarded last year,” says Dr. Richard Brown, co-chair of the Arnold Shultz Fund advisory committee along with Neil Rosenberg, Ph.D. “We hope to keep doing this for many years to come, and we’re pleased to include two international programs this year. The IBMA Foundation seeks to offer a proactive, helping hand to individuals who come from underrepresented racial and ethnic groups in the bluegrass community. Bluegrass music belongs to everyone. We are grateful to donors who continue to support the Arnold Shultz Fund and all the other Foundation initiatives, especially during the COVID pandemic. Their generosity has made it possible to award grants to these very deserving musicians and program organizers.”

The deadline to apply for the next round of Arnold Shultz Fund grants is Jan. 31, 2023. For information on applying for an Arnold Shultz Fund grant, becoming a sponsor of an IBMA Foundation Arnold Shultz Fund project or individual grant, or making a donation to the Arnold Shultz Fund, click here.

2022 Arnold Shultz Fund Project Grant Recipients:
Dancing with the Spirit (Fairbanks, AK): Bluegrass Song Videos & Curriculum for Alaskan Village Schools
Jam Pak Blues ‘N’ Grass (Chandler, AZ): Fair Black Rose Band World of Bluegrass Performance CD
The Kealakai Center for Pacific Strings (Kailua, HI): Dreadnought Hawai’i – The Royal Hawaiian Roots of America’s Acoustic Heart documentary film
Oscar Chilumo Mbwana and Stephanie Waithera Mwaura (Nairobi, Kenya): Zoom music lessons
The Oakland Public Conservatory of Music (Oakland, CA): Banjos & Fiddles for Students
PineCone (Raleigh, NC): Arnold Shultz Tribute Performance at IBMA’s World of Bluegrass and Documentary Video
Eric Shi (Liang Shi) (Zhejiang, China): Educational Bluegrass Videos for China

 

New Country, Z100 Wraps Record-Breaking Year For St. Jude Radiothon

Z100/River Radio Staff

New Country, Z100 (WOOZ-FM) in Southern Illinois (Marion-Carbondale) just wrapped a record-breaking year for their St. Jude Radiothon with a final total of $331,148.14.

This includes a record 4.8 million+ “pennies” and over $47,000 from auctions. This gives New Country, Z100 a cumulative 28-year total of $4,830,977 for the life-saving research at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“The generosity of our listeners is unsurpassed,” shares PD, Tracy McSherry-McKown.