August 29 2016, Issue 514 2016 Fantasy Label Draft The script got flipped on the fourth annualCountry Aircheck Fantasy Label Draft. Each year, we assemble a cross- section of Country radio pros to draft, fantasy football-style, a team of artists and label execs. And each year, to this point anyway, the early picks are devoted to the format’s biggest stars. Not this time around... First things first, the final tally from the 2015 draft is in and the winner is ... wait for it ... [Ed. Note: There is no tally. There is no scoring system. This is an arbitrary call by the author.] ... Team Bruce Logan comprised of Miranda Lambert, Jason Christi Brooks Don’t Care Package: Valory’s Justin Moore in Atlanta for Aldean, A Thousand Horses, Chris Lane, Brantley Gilbert’s Take It Outside Tour stop. Pictured are (l-r) Mike Dungan and Jon Loba. See all last WKHX’s Scott Lindy, the label’s Ashley Sidoti, Moore, Ryan year’s teams, including incredibly close Michel and dad WUBL’s Brian Michel and WUBL’s Angie runner-up Team Charlie Cook here. Ward and husband Tim Satterfield. Now, let’s meet the 2016 team owners: KKBQ/Houston APD/MD Christi Brooks, KUPL/Portland MD Danny Dwyer, WUBB/ Do Good Reps Savannah, GA morning host Tim Leary, The tools of the trade for record company KMLE/Phoenix VP/Programming Tim Danny Dwyer promotion staffers – tickets, backstage passes, Richards, iHeartCountry man-of-many titles artist access – may look like superpowers to Gregg Swedberg and WIVK/Knoxville PD the average fan. And while those abilities are Nikki Thomas. bestowed in furthering the goals of the label Each is charged with drafting six team and its artists, occasionally, a rep sees fit to members: Female Artist, Male, Duo/Group, apply them to a deserving mortal. Damon Moberly President, VP/Promotion and Rookie – an Faced with conniving star chasers, those artist who has never had a No. 1 single. decisions can be perilous, as Mercury VP/Promotion Damon “First off, I want to thank Country Aircheck Moberly knows too well. "You get a lot of crazies," he says. "People for feeding my unnatural obsession with feigning cancer to get close to artists. We just had one with a girl fantasy sports,” Swedberg said. “I prepared Tim Leary who was thought to have been abducted in Pennsylvania. A friend tirelessly, creating charts and mock wanted to get a message to Shania, the missing girl's favorite artist. drafts attempting to cover every possible (continued on page 8) And it ended up being a hoax." ©2016 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 29, 2016 Page 4 Those sad and at times deplorable maneuverings may be the up. 'Alex, I have the whole thing on my phone.'" After the show, more common reality, but this is not that story. Rather, it is the story Brannan burned a DVD of the moment and mailed it to Valentine. of Big Machine's Alex Valentine and superfan Jackie Brannan. "That was over-the-top," he says. "On one of my first visits as a rep to Albuquerque, I was introduced Barrel Of Feels: to Jackie," he says. "She is one of those people who maybe doesn't In a very different way, have the outward trappings of a lot going on in her life, but what this is also the story of she does have is passion." Broken Bow's Scotty Valentine points to the dread station staffers tend to have O'Brien, KNIX/Phoenix's about the most onerous "prize pigs" who show up at station Barrel Boy, Jason Aldean events. "No one and Austin Dorcey. "I had that negative avoid these kinds of connotation with things," O'Brien says, Jackie," he says. admitting his years in "She was that bright radio made him cynical light and people about fans clamoring liked being around to meet artists. "The her. She's as over- problem is, the people the-top as it gets as who really need and a fan, but her heart deserve it are so hard is in the right place." to find." Fourteen-year- Brannan with old Dorcey is battling So for no Rascal Flatts particular reason, a rare heart condition and developmental Valentine started Dorcey with Aldean getting her into meet-and-greets when he was in town. "All she challenges, and has and Barrel Boy wants is a picture," he says. "She's not in anybody's face. She's been mentored by and (inset) getting not a stalker. My wife and kids have met her over the years. We Barrel Boy for more ready for school Facebook back and forth. She'll ask if I'm going to be at a show than a year. and if not, totally cool." "I was paying During a recent Tim McGraw tour stop in the city, the attention to what I saw headliner pulled Valentine onstage so the crowd could sing to him. on Barrel Boy's social pages and could see this was more than just "It was my birthday," he explains. "When I got offstage I thought, random photo ops. This was a radio guy using his job for good to that was so cool, but I have no record of it. Just then, Jackie came make this kid's day and put him in places he'd never otherwise be." ©2016 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 29, 2016 Page 5 guitar. I got with Jason and his tour manager before the show so MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE they knew what we were doing to make someone's day." O'Brien says it wasn't about him or even Aldean. "I'm the Cornman Music singer/songwriter Caitlyn Southeast rep," he says. "I have nothing to do with Phoenix. This was Smith discusses her most influential music: really about helping a radio guy look like a rock star to this kid. You 1. Patty Griffin’sLiving With Ghosts: It can see Barrel Boy crying in the video because he couldn't help but was extremely pivotal in my musical journey. be moved. He really cares about that kid." Watch the video here. Her lyrics, melodies, the way her voice Dorcey, who rarely rides the school bus for fear of being picked cuts like a knife. My favorite tracks were on, took the bus the next day decked out head-to-toe in Aldean swag. “Forgiveness” and “Not Alone.” Valentine says moments like those are priceless. "I've always got 2. Alison Krauss’ Now That I’ve Found a couple pair of tickets put back for emergencies, and sometimes Caitlyn Smith You: A Collection: That was my first during the first song of a Taylor show I'll find that family walking away cassette. As a kid, I would lay in front of from the venue with their heads hung low. To see the look on their my boom box and flip the tape from side to side. There are so face when you tell them they're a gift from Taylor ... you don't want many gems on the record. Such solid songwriting. And there’s any money ... in my worst times in this business, that is what keeps no better voice on the planet. me going." Reach O'Brien here and Valentine here. –Chuck Aly 3. Wilco’s Yankee Hotel Foxtrot: This was my go-to record for my angst-y teen years. Jeff Tweedy is one of the best. I blew out my car speakers on this record. Multiple cars. Chart Chat 4. Ray LaMontagne’s Till The Sun Turns Black: To me, this Congrats to Sam Hunt, Royce Risser, record is perfection – his writing, his voice. I still to this day can’t put Katie Dean, David Friedman and the it down. I bought it on vinyl, too. It’s my go-to rainy day record. MCA promotion staff on scoring this week's 5. Coldplay: Hands down, the best live show I’ve ever seen in my No. 1 with "Make You Miss Me." The song is life. It was about 10 years ago and it’s still burned in my mind. the fourth chart-topper from Montevallo. • Highly UPDATEregarded music you’ve actually never heard: And kudos to Jimmy Rector and the I’m ashamed that I’ve never listened to a Neil Young record in EMI Nashville crew on notching 47 adds its entirety. I feel really bad about that. for Eric Church's "Kill A Word," topping this Sam Hunt • “Important” music you just don’t get: I have an week's board. impossible time connecting with or understanding heavy metal. It stresses me out. • An album you listened to incessantly: I could not stop News & Notes listening to the Chris Stapleton Traveller record. It was like musical Empire KRTY/San Jose will be the South Bay affiliate for the crack – and I was hooked. I’ve played it hundreds of times. Golden State Warriors, airing all 82 regular season games. • An obscure or non-country song everyone should Cumulus is among initial companies granted access listen to right now: I’ve recently started listening to Tom to Twitter Moments. See it in action here. Waits. I love the song “Grapefruit Moon.” The chorus melody Eric Paslay, Tracy Lawrence, Victoria Shaw and Luke slays me. The rawness of his vocal hurts my feelings even more Laird are among the performers at CMA Songwriters Series events than I thought was possible.