August 18, 2014, Issue 409 Garth’s Coming: Now What? If anything is known about Garth Brooks, it’s that he does things big. The same has been true so far of his touring come- back, which started in Chicago with an on-sale that was unlike anything CBS Radio VP/Country Programming and WUSN/Chi- cago PD Jeff Kapugi had ever seen. “One of the best days I have had as a program director in this crazy business” is how he later described it. Given that Garth last toured more than a decade ago, there a lot of other programmers who aren’t quite sure what to expect because they were either in another format or, *cough*, were too young. With that Jeff Kapugi in mind, Country Aircheck examined how Garth’s tour has played out at radio so far. Guitars And Tiki Bars: WQIK/Jacksonville’s Cindy Spicer and The Lead-Up: Garth’s 10 dates in Chicago are a good Columbia’s RJ Meacham take in Kenny Chesney’s Flora-Bama place to start. Though a fan dubbed “Andy from Atlanta” got to Jama Saturday (8/16), with Chesney and David Lee Murphy break the tour-open news on the afternoon of July 14, Kapugi and onstage behind them. ‘USN Dir./Promotions Pam Hamil got a heads up from the pro- moter early that morning. “Obviously we needed to wait for Garth Chesney’s First Jama to call Andy before we could flip the switch and let the confetti fly,” They came to see Kenny Chesney and his only 2014 concert Kapugi says. “From there, we basically teased a 7:15 announce- – and they were everywhere. On the beach, in the water, on boats, ment with full details the following morning (7/15). And that was stacked three deep in the nearby parking garages, hanging from condo the drum we were beating for the rest of the week.” balconies and on rooftops. Those details consisted of one show, which would go on sale More than 40,000 braved the Friday (7/25) at 10am, just more than a week and a half later. 90+ degree heat to hear hits Kenny Chesney The station soon began pushing the audience to 7:10 Monday and music from Kenny’s new morning (7/21) for their first chance to win tickets. That presale album The Big Revival. promotion, The Great Garth Giveaway, delivered ticket giveaways Chesney appropriately six times per day through the on-sale date. opened the two-and-a-half The On-Sale: Beyond that, rumors flew. Some suggested hour set with a song from as many as 15 Chicago shows. “We even heard that different the new album, “Flora-Ba- venues were on hold,” Kapugi says. “But our first real indication ma.” Co-written with David that something big was about to happen came 45 minutes before Lee Murphy, who later the on-sale when the promoter called and said they were adding joined Chesney for DLM’s three shows. From there I don’t think (continued on page 8) hits “Dust On The Bottle” and “Party Crowd,” the ©2014 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 18, 2014 Page 4 song was inspired by the 50-year old roadhouse Flora-Bama Lounge PAGE THREE PIC And Package. And, despite only being released a few days ago, the crowd sang with Chesney as fervently as with any of his anthems. He cranked out 26 songs before closing with “The Boys of Fall” and making one young fan’s night when he brought her onstage, put an autographed “No Shoes Nation” football helmet on her head, lifted her up and twirled her in circles. Chesney treated the fans to an encore with “She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy” before bring- ing another young fan onstage to get an autographed guitar. He spent another 10 minutes signing autographs and shaking hands as the band jammed on “Tractor,” leaving the stage about 7:30pm. There were few disturbances from a decidedly young crowd making for a very “peaceful” event that got underway at 5pm. In fact, local police reportedly only made one arrest. (It wasn’t me.) Despite the crowd getting regular dousing from fire hoses and free Then-WSTH (Rooster 106)/Columbus, GA PD Ted Turner water stations on the beach, a number of fans succumbed to the (l) presents then-Curb artist Tim McGraw with a copy of heat but were attended to very promptly. the station’s “Where The Green Grass Grows” parody If you’re bummed you didn’t make it, take heart. One of the “Where The Steel Bars Close.” Then-morning host Bear first things I noticed when getting my laminate was the phrase “First O’Brian put it together following McGraw’s 2000 run-in Annual.” That little Flora-Bama-Jama nugget hasn’t been included in with the law when he and Kenny Chesney took off on a any press releases, but given the event’s almost-flawless nature, we’d cop’s horse at a George Strait show. Lawless pics of your be stunned if you didn’t see Kenny in that same spot this time next own? Send them to [email protected]. year. Rent your condo now before they raise the prices. –Lon Helton The Gold category also has a few surprises. Ostensibly a Nash Icon: Quick Look 1989-forward format with 53 of the 102 Gold titles from 1989- Cumulus’ new format debuted on 15 stations at various times 1999, there are 23 songs from between 1980-88. Among the last Friday, so there are really only two days of Nash Icon music 1980 selections are George Jones’ “He Stopped Loving Her programming to analyze – Aug. 16 and 17. To give you a feel for Today,” Willie Nelson’s “My He- what those stations are doing, we’ll combine stats from Mediabase roes Have Always Been Cowboys,” 24/7 along with listening to WSM-FM/Nashville for part of the Merle Haggard’s “Big City” and weekend and today. We’re using WSM-FM as the bellwether. “I Think I’ll Just Stay Here and The Nashville affiliate is playing 13 Currents, 36 Recurrents Drink.” Tunes from ensuing years and 102 Gold titles. As one might expect, the majority of the include Don Williams’ “Lord I Hope currents are from the top of the charts; nine are from the top 15 This Day Is Good,” Alabama’s There are some interesting exceptions, however. Big & Rich’s “Love In The First Degree,” Earl “Look At You” at No. 23 is the lowest charted song being played Thomas Conley’s “Holding Her while Lee Ann Womack’s “The Way I’m Livin’” is new and not And Loving You,” Exile’s “Give Me yet charted. These two outliers may well fit into the philosophy One More Chance,” Keith Whit- outlined in the original Nash Icon press release which stated the ley’s “Don’t Close Your Eyes” and the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s intention to play new music by icons, regardless of whether or “Fishin’ In The Dark.” Twenty-five songs from the 2000s – with not the song was getting mainstream Country radio airplay. It’s 2011 being the most recent – round out the category. The clocks also a bit surprising to see bro country tunes and artists inter- are obviously Gold heavy, with one, two or three currents and twined among the format’s iconic acts. Bro-leaning hits by Florida three recurrents mixed in to any given hour. Georgia Line, Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton and others are sprinkled There’s a great “wow” factor in listening to WSM-FM if you’ve through the two days of music. been a country fan longer than 20 minutes. There are loads of ©2014 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] August 18, 2014 Page 6 great songs you haven’t heard in a number of years. Gotta admit I OFF THE RECORD: SONIA LEIGH smiled when I heard Merle and Willie’s “Pancho and Lefty.” Willing To Fly’s Sonia Leigh puts an industry But, there are train wrecks every now and then, too. One of spin on the artist interview. the challenges in mixing country music’s eras has always been The first time I heard myself on the one of matching “sounds.” Whether it be a matter of evolv- radio I was on my radio tour. “My Name Is ing and advancing production techniques or the change from Money” was out, I was in New York and we analog to digital recording, the sonics of various eras just don’t were driving. I almost jumped out of the car match. Any way you cut it, there are just some tough segues. window. I had no idea it was coming. I met so many great people on my first Overall, the format sounds good to a longtime country fan. It will radio tour. I had a really nice dinner with [then- be interesting to see if Nash Icon can bring back Country listen- Sonia Leigh WCOL/Columbus, OH PD] John-Boy Crenshaw, ers who might have become a bit disenfranchised with Country and he’s kind of a tough guy and scary. But the radio over the last few years, or if it will merely shave the upper longer we were at dinner the more I realized what a super good and demos from a market’s existing Country stations, further com- sweet guy he is.