All the News That Fits Wilks Adds Denver Country KMLE Signs Tim

Home , Bekka Bramlett, KMLE, KVWF

Radio: The Enemy Within I read with great disdain a quote in Friday’s Tennessean (reprinting a USA Today story, no less) from Pandora Internet Radio founder Tim Westergren, who said of his service, “People are realizing it could really replace broadcast radio.” I angrily dismissed his comment, as I have so many times in the past when reading accounts of radio’s demise. Radio has been pronounced dead countless times. Through the years, movies, TV, eight-tracks, cassettes, CDs, the Walkman, the iPod, satellite radio and internet radio have all been given as reasons why radio was on the endangered species list. But radio has weathered every onslaught, and in the face of each new “killer app,” it has rebounded, stronger than ever. But as I was in mid-guffaw at the latest pronouncement of radio’s demise, I got an email that my friend Stu Evans had been let go after 20 years on the air at KMLE/Phoenix. A little later, I was told that Citadel/ABC would be sending out some kind of buy-out letters to employees this week. Not long after, a friend informed me that Clear Channel would be laying- off 1,400 people over the next week-10 days. And I started to wonder about radio’s future health. Perhaps the changes we’re all going through aren’t cyclical. Maybe, just maybe, radio is undergoing a fundamental change that will forever alter the business we grew up loving. Radio has survived and thrived through the years because of the

December 29, 2008 Issue 121

All The News That Fits Yo u r CRS Me m o r i e s Print this. Now open your email. Select all. Delete. Remember that time at CRS? No? Neither do we. Come Why? Because we’ve collected all the important news and to think of it, we’re not sure folks will remember much of information you missed or will need in the New Year and put anything from Seminar’s 39-year history. But hey, it’s worth it all in one place. Here. From stories that broke during your a shot. Our next print publication will be a collector’s edition long winter’s nap, to a rundown of open jobs and qualified job retrospective on the event, as well as the Official Publication seekers (page 5), we’ve got it all. And don’t forget all the new of CRS-40. And we want to include your remembrances. singles impacting next month, also on page 5. So put down the What are your greatest CRS memories? What are the stories Crackberry and step away. We promise – no one will get hurt. that have never been told (or maybe should never be told)? Wilks Adds Denver Country Give us a call, drop us an email, shoot us some photos. We can even scan those old prints (what are those?) that have been CBS Radio sold its three Denver stations -- Country KWLI, collecting dust in the back of your closet. Don’t worry, we’ll AC KIMN and Classic Hits KXKL take good care of them. Certainly better care than people -- to Wilks Broadcasting for $19.5 show their liver – or memory – at the Bridge Bar...or Pickin’ million in cash, and the changes Parlor, for you old-timers. Call or email: 615-320-1450 or have already begun. First up, SVP [email protected]. Ready? Go! Don Howe has been replaced by former Clear Channel/Denver GSM Barry Remington. Additionally, Wilks/Kansas City NSM Katy Jennings has been upped to VP, overseeing the KC 8. Tim Hattrick and Willy D Loon got their start at KMLE and Denver markets. As for CBS, “The deal marks another step before embarking on a 10-year run at Clear forward in our strategy of exiting mid-size radio markets,” says Channel competitor KNIX, which cut the duo CBS President/CEO Les Moonves. loose a year ago (CAT 12/19/2007). Joining them at KMLE are Becky Lynn Ottinger KMLE Signs Tim & Willy and Andrea Hiland. Tim & Willy recently held their local Christmas @ Night Breakfast CBS Radio KMLE/Phoenix has brought back the Tim & Tim & Willy Willy morning team, who will sign on Thursday morning, Jan. Show benefit, despite being off the air. They

December 29, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 2 replace Dave Pratt, who exited Dec. 18. “The whole process, Ch e c k Ou t from deciding to leave KNIX to spending the year not working, to finding our way back to the airwaves on KMLE has had a Upcoming Album Releases: magical feeling,” Hattrick says. “We’ve had a lot fun along the Jan. 27 Pat Green What I’m For (BNA) way, but I think the best is yet to be!” Upon their launch, Tim & Willy and current MD/middayer Gwen Foster give KMLE two- Feb. 3 Dierks Bentley Feel That Fire (Capitol) thirds of the weekday lineup heard on KNIX just 18 months ago. Jake Owen Easy Does It (RCA) Hadley To GM In Wichita March. 24 Eric Church Carolina (Capitol) Former Clear Channel/Wichita GSM Laura Hadley has March 31 Keith Urban TBA (Capitol) joined crosstown Connoisseur Media, which includes Country April 7 Emerson Drive Believe (Midas/Valory) KVWF and Adult Hits KIBB, as GM. She replaces Doug Downs, who exited the company earlier this month. Album release info to [email protected]. Daniels In Louisville Former KGHE/Fresno APD/MD/midday Arizona Children’s Association, which maintains the station’s host Kris Daniels joined WQNU/Louisville Family Emergency Fund. James Otto’s Dec. 11 performance in as morning host (6am to noon) this morning the area contributed $4,950 toward the total. (12/29), a move we hinted at earlier this month (CAT 12/15). Also joining the station Gig Alerts is former crosstown Top 40 WDJX PD Shane Kris Daniels • KKWF/Seattle PD Scott Mahalick is seeking an APD/ Collins for the noon to 6pm shift. PD Matt afternoon personality with established relationships in the Killion tells us that night talent has not yet been chosen. country industry and Selector/Audio Vault proficiency. Airchecks and resumes to [email protected]. Cape Cod Country • CC SVP/Programming Clay Hunnicutt is looking for someone Cape Cod Broadcasting’s Top 40 WKPE/Hyannis, MA went to join WUBL/Atlanta morning teamers Kristen Gates and straight to Country with John Michael Montgomery’s “Be My Todd Veal. Airchecks and resumes to Hunnicut at WUBL, 1819 Baby Tonight” at midnight Dec. 25. The station, which had been Peachtree Rd. NE, Suite 700, Atlanta, GA 30309. playing wall-to-wall Christmas music prior to the flip, continues • Webster & Associates PR is seeking an experienced publicist to be helmed by OM/PD Wayne White. and new media specialist. Interested parties can send resumes to Taking on mornings is cluster vet Ben Sr. Publicist Bonnie Brozik here. Runnels, and former middayer Shai • Ruby Radio’s Country KEBG/Elko, NV & Hot AC KHIX moves to afternoons. There are no Denis “Catfish” Miller has an opening for a live on-air current plans to hire additional airstaff. The station is streaming personality on KHIX, with voicetracking duties on KEBG. at www.capecountry104.com. Airchecks and resumes to [email protected]. KIIM Helps Kids Industry News Citadel’s KIIM/Tucson tripled its Former Disney Music Publishing/Nashville VP Lisa annual Penny Pitch goal by collecting Ramsey-Perkins has joined Sony/Nashville as Sr. Dir./A&R. She 3,006,462 Lincolns ($30,064.62) for the reports to EVP/A&R Renee Bell and will develop new artists for ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] December 29, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3

Bi r t h d a ys

Tuesday (12/30) - Suzy Bogguss, Cathy Woods, Dave Logan, Bo Martinovich ([email protected]), Larry Neal ([email protected]) Wednesday (12/31) - Sam Harrell ([email protected]), Lynette Garbonola ([email protected]), Joe Kelly ([email protected]) Thursday (1/1) - Steve Ripley (The Tractors) Friday (1/2) - the late Roger Miller, Stan Byrd, Chris Hartman, Luke Lewis ([email protected]), Bruce Shindler ([email protected]), Kara Wiggins Saturday (1/3) – Nikki Nelson Sunday (1/4) – Patty Loveless, Deana Carter, Kathy Forester Monday (1/5) – Mark Nesler, Dave Dame ([email protected]), the late Sam Phillips, Shane Jemelka ([email protected]), Karen Herbst ([email protected])

the label group’s four imprints; Arista, BNA, Columbia and RCA. Former Music City News Media & Marketing Intern Jamie Marconette has joined AristoMedia’s Video Promotion department. Lisa Ramsey-Perkins Artist News Tim McGraw and Raul Malo have been added to the list of performers for the 2009 MusiCares Person Of The Year banquet honoring Neil Diamond in L.A. Feb. 6. They will join Coldplay, Adele, Foo Fighters, Josh Groban and Jennifer Hudson. Proceeds from the event Tim McGraw benefit the organization in providing financial and medical assistance for musicians. Lucy Angel have been invited to perform at the Great Hall Of The People in Beijing, China Jan. 3, making them the first country act to do so. Jett Williams has named the official spokesperson of the Orphan Foundation Of America, which focuses on education, mentoring and workforce development for youth who have aged out of the foster care system. Williams, who was born five days after her father Hank Williams, Sr.’s death, was legally adopted by her paternal grandmother Lillian Stone. When Stone died only a few weeks after finalizing the adoption, Williams became a ward of the state and lived in a series of foster homes before being adopted. As the organization’s spokesperson Williams will appear at a variety of speaking engagements, PSAs and special events. Rissi Palmer will co-host the 20th Annual Peach Drop on New Year’s Eve in Atlanta with WXIA-TV meteorologist Paul Ossmann. Julianne Hough will take the stage at 11:30pm as the event’s headliner. The show will be syndicated nationally in over 40 markets; check local listings. Trace Adkins has filmed a 60-second spot, as has Clint Eastwood, encouraging people to donate to the Honor Flight Network. The segments will air before feature films in 1,600 cinemas nationwide. Honor Flight Network arranges and ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] December 29, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 finances trips for American veterans to visit their war memorials in My Tu n e s : Mu s i c Th a t Sh a p e d My Li f e Washington, D.C. KTHK/Idaho Falls, ID PD/morning host Dale Carrie Underwood’s “Just A Dream” took the No. 1 spot on Desmond discusses his most important songs, CMT’s Top 20 Videos of 2008 followed by Sugarland’s “All I albums or concerts: Want To Do” and Kenny Chesney’s “Shiftwork.” Underwood 1. Garth Brooks, Ropin’ the Wind: My girlfriend was also CMT.com’s most-streamed artist with her “All- Stacey Wolfe played it non-stop the summer American Girl” video reaching 1.4 million streams alone. before my sophomore year. I can point to that as when I became a country fan. Life Notes Dale Desmond 2. Garth Brooks/That Summer: My step dad Count us as 6,000 and one. Congrats to Lady Antebellum’s didn’t like the immoral message it was sending. I joked that she was really teaching him to drive a combine. It was the first time that we Charles Kelley on his engagement to Cassie McConnell. discussed something without arguing and was a real turning point in Kelley’s Facebook page has already been bombed with our relationship. I wish I could have told Garth that last year at CRS. thousands of congratulatory messages. 3. Live/Selling the Drama: It was my senior graduation song. Our thoughts and prayers are with High Five Entertainment’s Years later, it happened to be playing at 102-5 Mountain FM in Danny Petraitis, who is battling Primary Central Nervous Missoula, MT and I sang along quietly when I was waiting to System Lymphoma – brain cancer, in short. He is currently interview for the PD position. The GM was impressed that I knew a undergoing chemotherapy and is hospitalized at Centennial in quasi-obscure Live song and I got the job. It was my first PD gig. Nashville. The family is in dire need of financial support, and 4. Faith Hill, Take Me as I Am: It was the first CD I ever bought. I a fund has been established at SunTrust Bank’s Music Row listened to it non-stop for 3 weeks. branch, Attn: Diane Pearson, 1026 17th Ave. S., Nashville, 5. Taylor Swift, Idaho Falls, ID, Nov. 2006: It was the first time I TN 37212. You can keep up with Petraitis’ progress at www. introduced an artist on-stage. Hardly anyone knew who she was, tickets were $12.50 and we only sold about 800 of them. caringbridge.org/visit/dannypetraitis. • A highly regarded song or album you’ve never heard: Kenny’s Lucky Old Sun. For some reason our fax won’t speak to the one in Chronicle the Sony legal office. Our deepest condolences are extended to family and friends of • An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: Heavy longtime Country radio personality Michael Bandy, who passed metal. I just can’t understand what they’re saying. Maybe I’m Dec. 20 after battling liver failure. As part of the Bandy & Bailey getting too old. team, Michael worked at WHKW/Louisville, WLLD/Columbus, • An album you played or listened to incessantly: In addition to WBUL/Lexington, WKHX/Atlanta and, most recently, Cumulus’ the ones mentioned above, Carolyn Dawn Johnson’s Room With A WLXX (The Bear)/Lexington. The station is requesting memorial View. I’m such a huge fan of CDJ and will tell anyone who will listen. gifts be made to Kentucky Children’s Hospital here. • One obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to Our condolences also extend to family and friends of Mississippi right now: Dean Brody’s “Brothers.” I feel ya, Dean. guitarist/songwriter/producer Delaney Bramlett, who died in Los Angeles Dec. 27 at age 69 following gall bladder surgery. As cofounder of the southern R&B group Delaney & Bonnie with his Russell, Bramlett’s songs have been cut by Ray Charles, first wife, Bonnie Lynn, the duo performed with Eric Clapton, George Patty Loveless, Dwight Yoakam and many others. Among Harrison and Dave Mason, who appeared in the late ‘60s and ‘70s as his survivors is daughter and accomplished Nashville singer/ “Friends” among their group’s many luminary backing musicians. songwriter Bekka Bramlett. A former collaborator with Mac Davis, Dennis Morgan and Leon ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] December 29, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 5 Seeking Employment Mitch Mahan Former WIRK/West Palm Beach PD/middayer Ad d Da t e s Here’s a roundup of contact 561-718-2758 or [email protected] JANUARY 5 info for some of the fine folks Brian Moore Former WKMK/Monmouth, NJ PD/morning host SHANE O’DAZIER/I Hate This Town (Robbins) who’ve parted ways with prior 732-539-9837 or [email protected] gigs in the last several weeks. JANUARY 12 Dave Pratt TRACE ADKINS/Marry For Money (Capitol) Former KMLE/Phoenix morning host TIM MCGRAW/Nothin’ To Die For (Curb) Radio [email protected] Todd Baker JOHN RICH/Another You (Warner Bros.) Former WWFF/Huntsville, AL morning co-host and Jessie Scott JANUARY 20 KKGO/Los Angeles PM driver Former XM X Country PD [email protected] 301-257-2062 or [email protected] KEITH ANDERSON/She Could’ve Been Mine (Columbia) CRAIG MORGAN/God Must Really Love Me (BNA) Bob Blackburn Scott “Shappy” Shapiro STEVE HOLY/Might Have Been (Curb) Former Dial Global Dir./Music & Promotions & Former KMLE/Phoenix morning producer/sidekick Interview Coordinator; [email protected] 480-231-5074 or www.scottshapirolive.com JANUARY 26 Stacey Brooks BRYNN MARIE/Start Now (Rhythm House) Jim “E Chonga” Springer JEFF BATES/One Thing (Black River) Former KMLE/Phoenix morning co-host Former KUPL/Portland morning show producer 602-370-7213 or [email protected] [email protected] WHITNEY DUNCAN/The Bed You Made (Warner Bros.) Jake “Greg Gibbins” Daniels John Welch FEBRUARY 2 Former KPLX/Dallas night host Former XM America MD; [email protected] BLUEFIELD/Ready To Love You Now (Country Thunder) 214-498-1715 or [email protected] Dave “JR Jackson” Donovan Industry Clay Henderson Denise Roberts Former WIRK/West Palm Beach afternooner Niki Breazeale Former WhiteStar Southeast regional Former Universal South Dir./Nat’l Promotion 561-351-5099 Former WhiteStar Sr. Dir./Marketing 615-429-0262 or [email protected] 818-679-5479 or [email protected] 818-618-6454 or [email protected] Chris “Duelly” Duell Brad Howell Ken Rush Former KMLE/Phoenix morning show producer Whitney Cheshier Former Broken Bow Records GM Former Equity Southwest regional 602-770-5038 Former Equity Coor./Promotion 615-500-2246 or [email protected] 214-616-3047 or [email protected] 615-574-5221 or [email protected] Stu Evans Carson James Lauren Tingle Former KMLE/Phoenix PM driver Jack Christopher Former WhiteStar Sr. Consultant/Radio & Marketing Former CMT Radio Production Assistant 602-692-8688 or [email protected] Former Equity East Coast regional 615-351-7751 or [email protected] 901-487-4023 or [email protected] 412-916-9314 or [email protected] Scott Gaines Donna James Anne Weaver Former WDTW/Detroit APD/MD/PM Driver Dean Ernst Former WhiteStar West Coast regional Former Robbins/Nashville Dir./SW Promo 248-842-9811 or [email protected] Former Play MPE VP/Operations 661-717-0433 or [email protected] 214-907-4922 or [email protected] 403-366-8626, 801-201-7897 or [email protected] Wild Bill Garcia Tonya Johnson Chris Willman Former WUSN/Chicago night jock Melissa Grayson Former WhiteStar Coor./Promotion Former Entertainment Weekly Sr. Music Writer 312-217-1536 or [email protected] Former WhiteStar Northeast regional 615-347-4164 or [email protected] [email protected] 615-497-3453 or [email protected] Don “Hoppy” Jeffrey Mike Klein Walt Wilson Former KFRG/Riverside MD/afternoon host Gary Greenberg Former WhiteStar Midwest regional Former WhiteStar GM 951-751-9008 or [email protected] Former Equity West Coast regional 310-702-4191 615-308-8500 or [email protected] 818-807-9495 or [email protected] Cledus T. Judd Evan Kroft Joe Zanger Former WUBL/Atlanta morning personality David Haley Former CMT Sr. Dir./Music Programming Former CMT Radio Network Managing Editor 770-871-9265 or [email protected] Former Equity SVP/Promotion; 615-973-0132 [email protected] 615-672-0511 or [email protected] Shaun Kelly Maurisa Halicky Heather Propper Former WINH/Terre Haute, IN morning co-host Former Equity Midwest regional Former Equity Southeast regional 219-805-2754 or [email protected] 615-428-9708 or [email protected] 602-317-0551 or [email protected]