November 7, 2011 Issue 268 Cowboy Hats And Baseball Caps KYGO/Denver PD John Thomas has a theory. Is there, he wonders, a potentially significant splinter group emerging in the format driven by a core of new artists who appeal to younger, non-traditional country fans? By contrast, these are not the traditional 35+ core country fans. Thomas even has working titles for these groups: Cowboy Hats and Baseball Caps. Since arriving in Denver a year ago, Thomas has observed the live music scene in Denver and paid close attention to both concertgoers and KYGO music research tastes, both of which Cause Celebs: Honorees Scott Borchetta and Drew Carey receive factor into his views. “I wasn’t trying to see it, I just happened to congratulations at the 36th Annual TJ Martell Honors Gala in New York last week. Pictured (l-r) are Javier Colon, Borchetta, Carey and Darius Rucker. notice it,” he says. Borchetta and Carey were joined by fellow honorees Arnold Palmer and Coca- In his mind, the Cola exec Bea Perez, with Colon, Rascal Flatts, Martina McBride and Rucker artists driving the performing. The event raised a record $1.3 million for cancer research. movement include but are not limited Curious Case Of The Cup to Jason Aldean, “Aside from Taylor Swift’s career, which was Brantley Gilbert, a different manifestation, this is the first viral Luke Bryan, Miranda Lambert, Pistol Annies, Rodney Atkins, thing that has come back to hit country square Jerrod Niemann, The Zac Brown Band, Easton Corbin and the in the forehead.” So says consultant Rusty movement’s poster boy, Eric Church. “I started looking at our music Walker, speaking, of course, of Toby Keith’s and realized there’s a huge appeal,” Thomas says. “These artists are “Red Solo Cup.” selling tickets and albums; their music is a little less traditional than With YouTube views for the video exceeding 2.5 million what normally plays on a heritage station like KYGO.” in just a couple of weeks, the album track has found a home Their new fans are non-traditional, too. Thomas has studied at Country radio, too. Currently at No. 33 and sporting 15 them in person at numerous concert and club events since adds this week, it’s forcing a discussion at radio. Not bad for a song that co-writer Jim Beavers says “has no drums and arriving at KYGO in November 2010. (continued on page 7) ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] November 7, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 was recorded in one take on one mic by non- THE PAGE THREE PIC professional musicians.” “We heard about the video floating out there and I went to the link,” says KBEQ/Kansas City PD Mike Kennedy. “That night I was laying in bed, not sleeping and driving my wife crazy singing ‘Red Solo Cup.’ So we ripped the song Rusty Walker off the video link and decided we’d play it on the morning show to see what happens. And from the first play, everyone went crazy.” Like Kennedy, WYCD/Detroit OM/PD Tim Roberts’ station is out in front on spins for the song. “It immediately became our No. 1 phone record and gets voted into our Top 7 at 7 every Jim Beavers night. It puts fun back in radio in a way we Stately Group: Willie Nelson celebrates his 50th birthday in 1983 haven’t seen in awhile.” with Waylon Jennings, local officials and KNIX/Phoenix staffers. Should that instant reaction and explosive Pictured (l-r) are Mayor Terry Goddard, station personality Don web viewership affect programmers’ Wagner, Jennings, unknown, Connie & Willie Nelson, the station’s W. Steven Martin (above), Jim West, Dan Schaffer, Eric Foxx, unknown, approaches? “I’ve got some PDs who are very Larry Daniels and Doug Brannan. Got vintage photos? Send them to strong supporters, and I’ve talked to several [email protected]. who are afraid of it,” consultant Joel Raab Mike Kennedy says. “Most of my stations are playing the song, but not every song has to be played for life in every market.” 20 weeks. Some songs that are more novelty Raab says the indicators will vary “depending upon the can be more meteoric. I don’t know if it’s a market, its local research, M-Score if they have it, listener six-week song or 16 weeks, but I suspect it’s response and gut feel – there’s still a place for that, too. That’s somewhere in between.” really the art of programming – knowing when to hold ‘em and when to fold ‘em.” Thank you, Don Schlitz. Roberts doesn’t necessarily equate exposure Tim Roberts to rapid burn. “I always think of that as a positive “I don’t worry about it,” Kennedy says. “We’ll play it as long not a negative,” he says of the viral video. “More as we can and figure it out when someone says time is up. We’ve exposure is usually a good thing. Overexposure is still got ‘Clancy’s Tavern’ out there, which I’m just guessing will something that happens over a long period of time.” be a single ... I can’t wait to play it.” “Each station needs to look at it in their own way,” Walker adds. “It’s not a standard SESAC Awards: Great Scott! front-engine, rear-drive kind of song. Some Joel Raab Lady Antebellum’s Hillary Scott was programmers may play it heavily for a few days, honored as Songwriter of the Year at the drop off it a bit and come back to playing it heavily again. Those SESAC Nashville Music Awards Monday who are into platooning will do that, and those who use standard evening (11/7) in Nashville. Scott received carpet-bombing rotations will do that. It won’t have the same four awards in all including three No. 1 hits Hillary Scott ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] November 7, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 for Lady A and another for “A Little Bit Stronger,” recorded OFF THE REC O RD : CHRIS CAGLE by Sara Evans. Song of the Year went to Anthony Smith for BPG’s Chris Cagle puts an industry spin “Tomorrow,” a chart-topper for Chris Young, while Publishers of on the artist interview: the Year was awarded to EMI Foray Music and Hillary Dawn What station did you grow up listening Songs. Artist performances included Craig Campbell, Ronnie to? KILT/Houston. Dunn and Jim Lauderdale, who co-wrote “I Gotta Get To You” Do you remember the first time you for George Strait. heard yourself on the radio? It was Aug. 7, 2000. I was driving I-40 West outside Nashville when “My Love Goes On And On” CC’s Veterans Campaign came on. I was sitting there thinking, “God Chris Cagle dangit, who is this? I know this song!” Then Clear Channel has launched its second annual Operation the DJ said, “That was a new artist named Fisher House campaign on all of its 850 stations. The program Chris Cagle.” I almost wrecked. runs through Veterans Day (11/11) and encourages donations to Which regional is the most interesting driver? Matt Corbin. He The Fisher House Foundation, which provides free, temporary gets angry at everyone in front of him like he’s going to get a gun out and start shooting people. And it’s never his fault. I’m like, housing to families of service members receiving medical care at “Easy, cowboy!” They make sedatives for that. VA and military hospitals around the world. For information on Are you a prankster? I don’t start anything, but I will finish it. One how to contribute, click here. time we were on a tour, and the opening band shoe-polished lewd things and taped a bunch of blown-up condoms on the tour bus when my stepmother came to a show. I was so embarrassed. The Chart Chat next night, we were in Michigan and they had to leave for Las Vegas Congrats to the Eli Young right after their set. While they were onstage, I kidnapped the road manager and duct-taped him in the backroom of their bus so he Band, Jimmy Harnen, couldn’t warn anybody. Then my road manager bought 12 50- Matthew Hargis and the pound bags of ice. Then I took the bedding off the bunks, layered whole Republic Nashville ice on the foam mattresses, made the beds back up and cranked the crew on scoring this week’s heat up to 90 degrees. With 12 drunk guys on a bus, that is a long- No. 1 single with “Crazy Girl.” ass ride, especially when you’re forced to sleep on the floor. Eli Young Band Any awkward requests? One of my first shows back on the The song is the group’s first radio tour, I played a radio event at an outdoor biker bar. It was chart-topper and was recently certified platinum. packed with probably 1,700 people in the parking lot. After the sixth song, this drunk lady walks up and requests Keith Urban. She says, “You’ve been playing all these cool songs by this other Biggest Loser Update guy. So, can you play some Keith?” I said, “Ma’am, I’m the other Trailer Choir’s Vinny Hickerson lost 12 guy. I’m Chris Cagle. These are my songs.” She says, “That’s cool! pounds at last week’s weigh-in and says the new Do you know Toby Keith’s ‘Whiskey Girl?’” I asked Michael Powers, “What do I do?” He said, “Sing.” I said, “OK.