June 9, 2008 Issue 93 Fans don’t seem dissuaded by the crowds, however, as CMAMF Sets New Attendance Mark 2009 sales are already on a record-setting pace, up 4.2%. Gold All 50 states and 28 countries, including Brazil, Greece, Circle four-day passes sold out in an unprecedented 15 minutes Japan and Latvia – were represented in the tens of thousands of Saturday. As always, half of net proceeds benefit Nashville fans who were in Nashville for CMA Music Festival (6/5-6/8). music education. Check pages 5 & 6 for photo coverage of this With a stated attendance increase of 9.4% over last year’s year’s festival. 191,000 aggregate, 2008 clocked in with almost 209,000 over the four-day event – a new record. That number has not been officially released by CMA, About Face With Universal South however, as the trade organization is instead focusing on daily The sidewalk isn’t the most conventional spot for signage, attendance figures. This year’s average daily attendance was but Universal South’s concrete graphics (pictured) sure made 52,000, up from last year’s 48,000. an impression during the festival. Country Aircheck ran into Sr. “We made a decision this year to announce our attendance as a VP/GM Van Fletcher Thursday morning and asked if the label had daily average rather than Rodney Atkins Faith Hill permission for the floor-borne fliers. a four-day aggregate “Yeah, but we almost got arrested so people are not anyway,” Fletcher said. overwhelmed by a huge Bruce Burton, the label’s number and potentially Manager/National Sales & turned off from Marketing, came up with the attending the Festival campaign. “They’ve been used in because they are sports marketing for a while,” he concerned about parking says. “A guy who makes our promo or moving around items pitched me on them. We got permission from the city, but downtown,” CMA CEO still ran into problems. Tammy Genovese “As we were putting them down, the police pulled up and says. “It is actually asked what we were doing. We told them we had permission so much easier than people they called the mayor’s office, who said they had no idea who think and we want to we were or what we were doing. So we sat in the sun for an communicate that in a hour waiting while everyone called around and figured out it new way.” Jamey Johnson Julianne Hough was okay.” ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 9, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 2 Burton says the label’s artists appreciated the “face” time. “Fans were coming up to them saying, ‘I’ve been walking all over you all week.’” The fun part, Burton adds, was pulling the BIRTH D AYS graphics back up once the festival was over. “Some of them came up easy, but most were rather difficult.” Tuesday (6/10) - Joanna Carter ([email protected]), Kaci Jones, R. W. Smith ([email protected]), Dave Wright Their Home’s In Ft. Payne, AL Wednesday (6/11) - Jay McDowell Alabama’s Randy Owen, Teddy Gentry, Jeff Cook and Mark Herndon were immortalized in Ft. Payne, AL Saturday Thursday (6/12) - Junior Brown, Jeff Allen, Guy Floyd, Candace (6/7) with the unveiling of larger-than-life bronze statues of the Nuyens, Mark Phillips, Danielle Taylor ([email protected]) Country Music Hall of Fame Friday (6/13) - Joe Barnhill Jr., Lori Hartigan (lori.hartigan@ quartet. Country Aircheck sonybmg.com) intrepid reporter Keith Gale – who doubles as RCA/Nashville Saturday (6/14) - Matt Corbin ([email protected]), Bobby VP/Promotion in his spare time Roberts, Mary Forest Campbell ([email protected]) – attended the event and told Sunday (6/15) - Michael Britt, the late Waylon Jennings, Terri Gibbs, CA, “Jeff Cook spoke about Roger Springer, Jeff Stevens, the late Joe Deters, Mary Martin, Joel how he was a little sad that his Raab ([email protected]) dad was not here to witness this Monday (6/16) - Billy “Crash” Craddock, Sarah Brosmer (sarah@ day; that he sold auto parts in a lytlemgmt.com), Jim Kemp, Jeff Stouten store directly across the street for 40 years. Mark Herndon told me he was ‘finally in a heavy metal band.’ Teddy Gentry was so moved he shed tears and could barely speak. Randy spoke about how many Country radio has helped Country Cares raise more than $315 generations of Owen’s have lived in Ft. Payne and how this was million for the kids of St. Jude. All of you will be on that stage also an honor to all of them.” The shrine honoring the foursome is with Randy tonight. You should be proud. in the Ft. Payne City Park at Gault Ave. and 4th St. NE. In other Alabama band news, Randy Owen is in Washington, Radio News DC tonight to accept an NAB Education Foundation Service Flood Warning: WFMS/Indianapolis OM Bob Richards To America Samaritan Award on behalf of Country Cares For checked in with CA today after 60 mph winds, heavy rains and St. Jude Kids. It is given to a broadcaster or organization pea-sized hail hit the area. “Yes, we are alive and well but very exemplifying the industry’s commitment to use the airwaves wet,” says Richards. “The studios and transmitter sites are fine effectively in promoting the public interest. Since its inception, but it’s pretty bad about 15 miles south of the station.” The National Weather Service has issues a flash-flood watch for metro Indy. More info here DATE CHE C K . Personalities: Magic Broadcasting/Dothan, AL OM Kris June 21 - Whitney Shafer, Poets and Prophets: Legendary Van Dyke has added afternoons at Country WTVY after Country Songwriters - Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum - Dave Sommer’s exit last Wednesday. Sommers has moved to www.countrymusichalloffame.com crosstown WDJR in the same capacity. August 21 - 2008 SOURCE Foundation Awards and Dinner - Stationality: WSM-FM/Nashville is hosting the 12th Annual Musician’s Hall Of Fame and Museum - www.sourcenashville.com Ultimate Country Golf Classic June 17 at the Vanderbilt Legends Club. Luke Bryan and Heidi Newfield have signed on as celebrity chairs, with T. Graham Brown and Aaron Tippin ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 9, 2008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 TU B E CHE C K Tuesday 6/10 - Garth Brooks, Ellen (syndicated). Wednesday 6/11 - Bill Engvall, Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS). Thursday 6/12 - Taylor Swift, Once Upon A Prom (MTV); Road Hammers, The Road Hammers (GAC); Bobby Bare, Kathy Mattea, Luke Bryan, Crook & Chase (RFD-TV). Friday 6/13 - Kenny Chesney, Today (NBC); Larry The Cable Guy, Tonight Show with Jay Leno (NBC); Trisha Yearwood, Live with Regis & Kelly (syndicated). Saturday 6/14 - Luke Bryan, Montgomery Gentry, The Oak Ridge Boys, Carrie Underwood, Opry Live (GAC). Sunday 6/15 - Steve Azar, Country Music Across America (GAC). Monday 6/16 - Various Artists, From CMA Fest (GAC). schedule as celebrity guests. The event benefits the Middle Tennessee Branch of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Gig Alerts • GAC Nights Executive Producer Donna Hughes is seeking a Coord./Radio Production & Associate Producer. Interested parties can apply here. • KNIX/Phoenix PD Ray Massie is seeking a new afternoon personality He is accepting airchecks and resumes at [email protected]. • WOKK/Meridian, MS PD Todd “Sharkey” Rupe is looking for a Produciton Dir./afternoon jock. Send airchecks and resumes to him [email protected]. • KRYS/Corpus Christi PD Frank Edwards has been searching for a midday personality since April. Send airchecks and resumes to him at [email protected]. Industry News Universal Music Group has expanded its digital media distribution services agreement with Destiny Media’s Play MPE to include affiliates in Canada and Mexico. Casey Beathard (“No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problems,” “Don’t Blink”) has extended his exclusive publishing agreement with Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Desmond Child and Victoria Shaw will judge The Next GAC Star as contestants vie for a record deal. The show is accepting entries through July 14 at www.gactv.com/star. Artist News Phil Vassar, Charlie Daniels, Jimmy Webb and Mike Musick are taping a PBS series entitled Legends & Lyrics that is open tot he public June 12 at the Grand Masonic Lodge Of Tennessee. Stephen Cochran will headline the ThanksUSA benefit concert in Washington, D.C. July 26, co-sponsored by WMZQ. The event is part of a fundraiser to provide scholarships to the spouses and dependents of active-duty troops. James Otto will perform at the Miss Tennessee Scholarship Pageant June 18. Otto’s sister-in-law Miss Tennessee 1999 Allison Alderson DeMarcus, wife of Rascal Flatts’ Jay DeMarcus, will host the event for the eighth consecutive year. Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Bucky Covington and Marcel have all been invited to appear in Hannah Montana: The Movie. ©2008 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] JuneJune 9,9, 20082008 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 CHE C K OUT : IN ST O RES 6/10 Montgomery Gentry Back When I Knew It All (Columbia) Troy and Eddie are back with their seventh album, and it’s a who’s who of Nashville songwriters. The late Dennis Linde, Ira Dean, David Lee Murphy, Kim Tribble, Trent Willmon, Wendell Mobley, Neil Thrasher, Terri Clark, Tom Shaprio, Brett James and Montgomery can all be found in the credits.