October 14, 2019, Issue 674 Programming: Do You Hear What I Hear? Year-end may be a breather for record labels, but Country stations are busy with challenges unique to the season. The chart freeze brings respite from calls about adds and spin counts, but PDs, APDs and MDs are making decisions in an environment in which, typically, at least one station in their market has gone all- Christmas. With all there is going on – and ahead of the inevitable Halloween-adjacent flips by eager AC programmers – Country Aircheck asked around about tactics, strategies and best practices for Yuletide cheer. On The Air There’s A Feeling... From a macro perspective, the elephant in the room market is typically an AC station that flips to holiday music early and vacuums up ratings Bob Walker in the process. What sets Country apart from No Pain, No Champagne: Wide Open/Records/GCE/Arista’s other formats, however, is the ability to offer Matt Stell is surprised by WWKA/Orlando staffers with a Christmas tunes from listeners’ favorite artists. balloon, cake and champagne to celebrate his No. 1 debut, “One of the biggest surprises during my 10 “Prayed For You.” Pictured (l-r) are the station’s Ashley years at WCTK has been how much our fans Stegbauer, Stell, the station’s Steve Stewart, the label’s Ali like country Christmas music,” says Hall/ O’Connell and the station’s Melissa. Providence VP/Programming Bob Walker. “We have a unique proposition the ACs cannot offer – country-textured Christmas music. NSHoF: Rivers Rutherford Spotlighting individual inductees leading up to tonight’s (10/14) Bob Barnett “We have versions of the classics by some of their all-time favorite artists, like Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala concludes with Rivers Darius Rucker’s ‘Winter Wonderland,’ plus a strong list of unique Rutherford. Born and raised mere blocks from classics,” Walker continues. He cites George Strait’s “Christmas Graceland, Rutherford learned to play guitar at Cookies,” Faith Hill’s “Where Are You Christmas” and Alan seven using a big, orange songbook boasting Jackson’s “Let It Be Christmas.” “A couple of years ago, we polled 100 songs from – who else? – The King himself. our fans and AJ’s ‘Let it Be Christmas’ was their favorite,” Walker From playing the Memphis Queen riverboat says. “Then I checked Media Monitors and discovered ‘Let It Be to clubs on Beale Street he wasn’t legally old Christmas’ was WCTK’s top scoring song from any genre in the enough to patronize, Rutherford’s love affair month of December.” with music endured. That dedication eventually Entercom/Rochester VP/Programming Bob Barnett also led to a chance meeting with producer/ Rivers places an emphasis on holiday music. “It’s been part of the writer Chips Moman and, one challenge later, Rutherford fabric of the station since we signed on in the ‘80s,” he says. “It’s Rutherford had his first cut ... with a little expected by the life group. group called The Highwaymen. The string of hits continued with (continued on page 8) “Shut Up And Drive” by Chely Wright, Kenny Chesney’s “Living ©2019 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] October 14, 2019 Page 4 MY TUNES: NIKO MOON RCA’s Niko Moon discusses his musical influences: 1. The Eagles’ Their Greatest Hits (1971– 1975): My favorite album of all time. 2: Will Hoge in Atlanta: It made me want to be an artist. 3. Frank Sinatra: I love all genres, and Frank Niko Moon is so timeless. Ol’ Blue Eyes will always be cool. 4. John Prine: He’s my favorite songwriter. The perfect example of how to write a song witty but simple at the same time. 5. “Hallelujah” by Leonard Cohen: Pure magic. I’ve never heard Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours. I, of course, know their hits from the album, but I haven’t heard the whole thing. Growing up, I didn’t get The Beatles. But when I did grow up, it all clicked for me. Flash Foreword: Gibson’s Dave Berryman, Blue Chair/ I listened to The Eagles’ Greatest Hits album all of the time Warner/WEA’s Kenny Chesney, former ASCAP/Nashville head growing up. It’s unbelievable how many great songs they had. Connie Bradley and Rutherford (l-r) at the No. 1 party for the An obscure or non-country song everyone should listen Rutherford co-penned “Living In Fast Forward.” to right now: My wife, Anna Moon, just released a single called “Tightrope.” Go check it out! (Watch the video here) doing it. I remember a friend of my dad’s asking me when I was 11- Music you’d rather not admit to enjoying: Justin Bieber. 12, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” I said, “I want to I know a lot of people hate on him for whatever reasons, but I play rhythm guitar in a rock band and write all of the songs.” think he’s really talented and his songs are insanely catchy! I met Chips Moman in 1988 when I was a junior at Ole Miss, and he agreed to pay me $100/week to write songs for him. He called me one day and asked if I’d ever heard of the In Fast Forward,” “Real Good Man” with Tim McGraw, “When I song “Highwayman.” I hadn’t. He said, “Well, have you heard Get Where I’m Going” by Brad Paisley featuring Dolly Parton and of The Highwaymen?” And I hadn’t. He asked about Waylon, Brooks & Dunn’s “Ain’t Nothing ’Bout You.” Willie, Johnny and Kristofferson, and I remembered those guys. I don’t He looked at me and said, “You really don’t like country music, do remember you?” I told the truth, “Not really.” (laughs) He told me to go buy a time before the single and write him the sequel. It’ll be a good exercise, he songwriting. I explained. So…I did. And “American Remains” was recorded by do remember The Highwaymen about a month later. playing a song I That was my first cut, and I didn’t make much money. It was made up for my a single, not a hit, and the album really didn’t sell much. It was folks when I was one wife, two kids and eight years later before I had another song about nine. My recorded. It didn’t even open that many doors, honestly, but it dad said, “That’s gave me the faith to continue. pretty good. Go I never thought of myself as a singer until I got to Nashville write another Red, White & Crew: Rutherford (r) with Show and people convinced me to do records. Fortunately, none of it one.” I just kept Dog’s Toby Keith at a songwriting session. ever worked. I briefly thought I wanted to be an artist. I even told my wife at one point, “If I end up being just a songwriter, I’m ©2019 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] October 14, 2019 Page 6 OFF THE RECORD: CRAIG MORGAN going to jump off of the Batman building.” (laughs) And that’s a Broken Bow’s Craig Morgan puts an long way down. But, the truth is it couldn’t have worked out any industry spin on the artist interview: better. I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to do a lot As a child, I listened to WSM-AM/Nashville, of things in music. I still do a number of shows, produce records, because it’s what my parents always had on play on records. But if I could just do one thing, put me in a room and I’ll make songs. the dial. As I got older, being from Nashville, I Two of my favorite co-writers, Dave Berg and Tom Shapiro, listened to WSIX, WKDF and WSM-FM. were writing together and my name came up. Shapiro and I had The first time I heard myself on the radio just started working together, and he said, “I don’t know if Rivers Craig I was in Dickson, TN driving around. The local Morgan enjoys writing with me.” Dave asked what he meant, and Tom station was playing one of my songs, and it was had a drawer in a desk in his office with five or six cassettes full completely surreal. I immediately changed the station to see if of pieces of songs we’d started and abandoned. Dave laughed, anyone else was playing it. opened up his laptop and had like 200. So, I can’t say I really file I will not disclose the name of the promotions rep who away ideas. When I get one that I really like, it doesn’t last very absolutely could not drive. He or she almost killed me two or long. I write it fairly quickly. Another time, I was writing with Trace three times, and I finally made them let me drive! Adkins and Kenny Beard. We had an idea, I threw out a verse My favorite road companion is my wife, because I get to and Trace was writing it down. I said, “Or, we could try something sleep with her. Least favorite road companion is probably Mike, different.” Trace wadded up the piece of paper, got a new one my utility player, because he talks too much. and wrote what I’d said down.