September 3 2019, Issue 669 Pick Six: Label Draft 2019 Seven years ago, Country Aircheck’s Fantasy Label Draft began as an entertaining forum for radio pros to chat about artists and make bold predictions for the year to come. For the first six seasons, VP/GM Chuck Aly served as commissioner and declared winners based upon a method that is just questionable enough to have come from the New England Patriots’ camp, “Chuck’s Eyeball Test.” But this is 2019, and all bets are off. No participation trophies here! What good is a game without a winner? And how do you declare a winner without a score? As a new commissioner takes the field, a painstaking analysis was done to determine a fair- yet-competitive points system, which has been ratified by this year’s ownership group – KUPL/Portland’s MoJoe Roberts; KFRG/ Riverside, CA’s Heather Kind Of A Pig Deal: Premiere’s Bobby Bones, coach Chad Morris, Froglear; KRYS/Corpus Valory’s Justin Moore and singer/songwriter Joe Nichols (l-r) at MoJoe Roberts Kay Manley the Arkansas Razorbacks game Saturday (8/31). Christi, TX’s “Big Frank” Edwards; WGKX/Memphis’ Kay Manley; WMZQ/ NSHoF 2019: Larry Gatlin Washington, DC’s Corey Spotlighting individual inductees leading up to the Oct. Calhoun; and KWEN/Tulsa’s 14 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala continues with Jenny Law. But more on that songwriter/artist Larry Gatlin. Performing together as The Gatlin during post-game. Brothers for more than six decades, Larry, Steve Heather For his final call as the and Rudy are celebrating the 40th anniversary Corey reigning Michael Chiklis Froglear Calhoun of their ACM Single of the Year “All The Gold In (Am I the only one who California.” The majority of Larry’s mammoth remembers The Commish?), catalog is solo-written, including signature Aly declared Scott Ward songs “Houston (Means I’m One Day Closer To the 2018 victor with a lineup You)” and “Broken Lady” — which took home that included Thomas Rhett, the Grammy for Best Country Song in 1976 Carrie Underwood, Florida — and cuts for artists including Dottie West, Georgia Line, Tyler Rich, Scott Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Elvis Presley, Larry Gatlin Borchetta and Royce Risser. “ Glen Campbell and Roy Orbison. “Big Frank” No surprise a good Cowboys Edwards Jenny Law I was in Las Vegas auditioning for The Imperials, who (continued on page 7) needed me to work with Jimmy Dean the night after they closed ©2019 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] September 3, 2019 Page 3 MY TUNES: TREA LANDON TV station] WLAC, and my wife was Warner/WMN’s Trea Landon discusses a teacher. We had his most influential music: the radio alarm 1. Conway Twitty: He made me believe set every morning the stories behind his songs and he wasn’t to WSM-AM, and afraid to be vulnerable. That showed a side the first time I of him as an artist that I didn’t see in a lot ever heard one of other artists. There’s zero commercial of my songs on agenda. I try to bring that with me into the the radio it was Trea Landon decision-making process of what songs I’m waking up to going to cut. Dottie singing 2. Luke Bryan: I related to his songs as a Willie Good Day: Gatlin (l) with “You’re The Other Willie Nelson. teenager more than anything else on the radio. I sang my whole Half Of Me.” life, but Luke’s music is what made me want to start writing. I used to 3. Linkin Park: Their music pulled me through my parents’ take notes on barf bags, backs of golf score cards, anything I divorce. The music’s dark, but most of the time, the message had handy. Now, I never go out of town without my Blackwing is positive. 602 pencils and a few sheets of plain white paper. I really have no 4. Jon Pardi: His music influenced me to move to Nashville. It internal dialogue ... I talk to myself. For example, my accountant has the traditional elements in it that I love. Hearing him on the doesn’t like me to pay the $3 to use ATMs. So when I go on the radio gave me hope that there would be a lane for me. road, they bring me money. I was going to be gone a couple 5. George Strait: The first artist I remember knowing. My weeks so I had a wad of $1,000 in my pocket. The internal parents played his music all the time. I have old family videos of dialogue that came out at that moment was, “Larry Wayne, you’ve me imitating him. got more money in your pocket than your daddy ever had in the Highly regarded music you’ve actually never heard: bank.” So, I wrote Got more money in my pocket than my daddy “The Git Up” by Blanco Brown. ever had in the bank. Don’t know if there’s someone to blame, but I An “important” piece or style of music you just don’t do know there’s one to thank. I’ve had my share of ups and downs, get: Bob Dylan. I also never got into The Eagles. I’ve sailed some stormy An album you listened to incessantly: Linkin Park’s Hybrid seas, but mostly fair winds Theory and Meteora pulled me through a tough time. have blown on me. My favorite non-country song right now is “Dancing With When something A Stranger” by Sam Smith. Great melody and message. happens, I try to Music you’d rather not admit to enjoying: Billie Eilish. say something funny, poignant or meaningful. That’s my deal. I’m a with Elvis. I didn’t get the job, but Dottie West saw and heard me. songwriter, and I love Glen Campbell had given her a new Ovation Guitar, and I asked great storytelling. I’m a if I could borrow it one night. I was fiddling around and she goes, ham and have always “You’re making that up, aren’t ya?” I said yes, and that’s when been class clown and life she told me, “Larry Gatlin, you look enough like Mickey Newbury, of the party. you’ve gotta be able to write a song.” I went home to Houston, This is our 65th wrote eight songs, sent them to her on a Wollensak reel-to-reel year of singing together. tape, and she sent me a plane ticket. [My wife] Janis and I moved We started when I was and five years later, I won a Grammy for Song of the Year for almost seven years old, Man In Black Tie: Gatlin (r) with “Broken Lady.” Steve was five and Rudy Johnny Cash. When we first moved to Nashville, I was a janitor at [then was two. When I came ©2019 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] September 3, 2019 Page 5 Split Happens: BMLG Records’ Lady Antebellum do a little late-night bowling with their team after the trio’s Las Vegas residency, Our Kind Of Vegas. to Nashville in ’71, the brothers were in college at Texas Tech. We Chart Chat are the first generation of either side of our family to get to attend Congratulations to Justin Moore, Chris college, so it was important that they stay in school, but with the Palmer, Ashley Sidoti and the Valory dream and knowledge that we’d sing together. I wrote the songs, promotion team on landing at No. 1 with but every time I would sit down with pencil and paper, I heard “The Ones That Didn’t Make It Back Home.” brother Steve singing his part in my right ear and brother Rudy his The song is the first single from Moore’s part in my left ear. recently released fifth studio album Late If you’re in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, it Nights And Longnecks. Songwriters are Paul not only means you’re one of the best songwriters in Nashville, it DiGiovanni, Chase McGill, Jeremy Justin Moore means you’re one of the best songwriters in the world. Comments Stover and Moore. I’ve gotten from my friends are, “It’s about time.” And I’ve written And kudos to Jimmy Rector and the EMI Nashville reps back, “God’s timing is better than mine.” The good book says in on notching 54 adds for Eric Church’s “Monsters,” topping this Galatians, “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross week’s board. of our Lord Jesus Christ.” The spiritual man in me says I should not take glory for it, but the old carnal man in me says it’s okay if I take the credit as long as I give him the glory. And I do. My News & Notes favorite line I’ve ever written is, “Just existing makes dying look Warner/WAR’s Dan + Shay are among the participants in easy.” Sure, I would’ve loved to be in it 20 years ago, but ever iHeartMedia’s #TalkToMe campaign with the National Opioid since I found out, I’ve had a smile on my face. –Caitlin DeForest Action Coalition for National Recovery Month in September. ©2019 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] September 3, 2019 Page 7 Traffic Jam: Artists, label reps and station staffers at KMLE/Phoenix’s 10th Annual 8 Man Jam.