July 8, 2013, Issue 353 Radio In Records? Reps As MDs When KIIS/Los Angeles and Clear Channel honcho John Ivey hired a record vet for the station’s APD/MD position a few weeks ago, it gave us an idea to have a little fun. Who in the record business would top Country PDs hire, if they had the need or chance, and why? Casting no aspersions on current MDs, and not taking the exercise too seriously, our group come up with some creative answers. Read on. WBCT/Grand Rapids & Premium Choice’s Doug Montgomery: When I programmed WGTR/Myrtle Beach in 1993 I tried to hire W.A.R.’s Chris Palmer to come across the street from WYAK and he blew me off, so Palmer is definitely off my list. The record person who I would hire for a MD position is Tina Crawford (BBR Music Group Dir./ Tina Crawford Creative Services). Tina worked for us at WBCT years ago as a board-op, but I would take her back for a MD position Cast Broadly: Radio represents at Toby Keith’s Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert in Norman Saturday (7/6). Pictured (l-r) in a minute because she has the best ears in Nashville. are KTST & KXXY/OKC’s Tom Travis, Show Dog-Universal’s WIL/St. Louis’ Greg Mozingo: Get Greg Sax, KTST’s Joe Friday, KTST’s Kathi Yeager, Keith, Capitol’s Steve Hodges out of the ivory tower and KJKE/OKC’s Shawn Elliot, SDU’s Tom Baldrica, KTST & KXXY’s back in an MD chair. And I don’t believe BBR’s Jeremy Griffin, and KITX/Hugo’s Will Payne and Mikel Ray. Carson James paid enough dues as a “radio guy” – he needs an MD gig, too. Also, I’m not sure Big Machine’s Scott Borchetta has ever done OKC: Belief In Relief work on our side of the fence. He just appeared A venue record-breaking 65,000 filled the Oklahoma one day at MTM Records in the ‘80s. Give him an University football stadium in Norman Saturday (7/6) as Toby MD chair and an airshift. SteveHodges Keith hosted the Oklahoma Twister Relief Concert. Clear Channel/ KMPS/Seattle’s Ed Hill: WMN’s Rick Oklahoma City Digital PD Jeremy Griffin offers Country Young will bury you with research and sell you every conceivable angle Aircheck his assessment of the show: of every note of every record and work you until you don’t know you “The stage was huge – 80’x 80’ with a massive video wall I would are being worked. Plus, he is a kind soul with a big heart. assume was at least 60 feet tall and as wide as the stage,” he says. (continued on page 4) “The temperature was around 90 degrees at the gates, but settled into ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 8, 2013 Page 3 the mid 80s as the night went on. The crowd was as loud as any I’ve heard for Mel Tillis and John Anderson, but the first real eruption of PAGE THREE PIC the night was for Garth Brooks. ‘The healing starts today,’ he said. ‘It’s time to smile.’ He opened with ‘Rodeo’ and it just built from there. “When asked in the press room about what he most looked forward to playing, Garth responded, ‘Friends In Low Places’ ‘cause I don’t really have to sing.’ He was right. When those first chords were strummed, the crowd blew up for the biggest moment and reaction of the night. The tightknit community known as Oklahoma was in one voice singing ... no, screaming that song! “The show continued with Willie Nelson, followed by ‘Red Rocker’ Sammy Hagar, who was well-received by the country fans. He even rocked a new song written by friend and fellow performer Ronnie Dunn. Sammy was very gracious and managed to make it through the entire set without a single F-bomb. “The last performances built one after the other with Ronnie Dunn, followed by Carrie Underwood via satellite from the Grand Ole Opry and wrapping up with special performances from Wade Hayes, Krystal Keith and, of course, the headliner. Toby walked straight out onstage to close the night. Flare Way: Then-KSON/San Diego MD Greg Frey He got a screaming ovation, grabbed gets clubby with Deana Carter at the 2nd Annual Toby in OKC his red Solo cup and lifted it high to Tony & Kris Celebrity Golf Tournament to benefit the crowd as if to say, ‘Here’s to you, St. Jude. We’re guessing late ‘90s, but really have Oklahoma, my home and native land.’ no idea. Have your own timeless images of people “He dedicated ‘Beer For My Horses,’ which he’d already out standing in their fields? Send to pagethreepic@ played once with Willie, to first-responders. The night ended countryaircheck.com. with a bang ... or a few hundred as fireworks lit the sky for 10 minutes following Toby’s last song.” A total dollar figure for the Razz brought his wife Kelly Coleman fundraising event is expected later in the week. to a Miranda Lambert show in Atlantic Chart Chat City. A discussion between the two women Congrats to Luke Bryan, Royce Risser, about the Popcorn Park Zoo animal Steve Hodges and the entire Capitol shelter eventually led to a $5,000 donation promotion team on scoring this week’s No. 1 to the facility from Lambert’s MuttNation with Bryan’s “Crash My Party.” The chart-topper Foundation. Read the whole story here. is the title track and first single from Bryan’s Renegade Radio was named Best Miranda Lambert fourth album, which will be out Aug. 13. Radio Station by the Independent Country Music Association. Luke Bryan Envision and Kroeger Media have added KZIU-HD2/Walla News & Notes Walla, WA as a Hank-FM affiliate. The power of the backstage meet-and-greet will benefit Florida Georgia Line, Martina McBride, Craig animals in coastal New Jersey after WXTU/Philadelphia MD Morgan, Josh Turner and Wynonna will join this year’s panel ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] July 8, 2013 Page 4 of judges for the International Songwriting Competition. The contest, open to amateurs and professionals, has a grand prize MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE of $25,000 cash plus $30,000 in prizes. Other judges include WDZQ/Decatur PD/afternoon personality Dido, Selena Gomez, Old Crow Medicine Show’s Ketch Secor Toby Tucker discusses his most influential and more. Details here. artists, songs, albums and concerts: Sidewalk’s Morgan Frazier has released her self-titled, five- 1. Keith Urban/Somebody Like You: song EP, exclusively at bestbuy.com. The album features the single This song really turned me on to country “Yellow Brick Road” and will be available through September. music and helped me figure out what I wanted to do with my life. 2. Tim McGraw/Live Like You Were Dying: I remember the first time I heard this The Week’s Top Stories Toby Tucker Full coverage at countryaircheck.com. back in 2004. It really changed the way I look • Clear Channel’s AC WLQT/Dayton flipped to Country as“Hot at life, made me realize you have to live each New Country B94.5” Steven Lewis is the PD. day to its fullest. My dad passed away when I was a freshman in (7/3) high school, so this song had a lot of resonance with me. • Cumulus expanded its Nash FM brand to five 3. Kenny Chesney/Old Bird Dog: It was an exclusive track more stations. (7/3) on The Road and the Radio available only if you bought the • The ACM donated $10,000 to The 100 album at a certain store. On days when life gets the best of me, Club of Arizona following a Country I love popping it on because it helps me realize there is a lot of Aircheck story about KNIX/Phoenix good in my life if I just take a minute to look around. I spent a helping to raised tens of thousands for the few minutes backstage with Kenny at his show in Peoria, IL and families the 19 firefighters who perished near told him that I hoped to see him sing it. He said, “I don’t even Yarnell. The total is expected to exceed $85,000. (7/2-3) remember the words.” • Forbes named Toby Keith its “Highest-Paid Country Music Act.” 4. Florida Georgia Line/Cruise: This song is relatively new, (7/2) but has become an anthem for my friends and me. Every time it comes on, good moods take over and we’re ready for whatever the night may hold. I think I’ve seen FGL live seven times since Radio In Records? Reps As MDs last July and I love it more and more every time. (continued from page 1) 5. Ronnie Milsap, Nashville North, Taylorville, IL, 1987: Kris Lamb is fast. Knows his stuff. Knows Taylor Swift! I I would’ve been only four or five years old, but remember watched him grow from Lyric Street to Big Machine. He can get sitting in the front row when all of a sudden all the lights in the it done with a smile and ... he has a big heart. Plus, he is a big venue went out. Ronnie laughed and said, “Now you know how dude that I could beat on.