Remembering Charley Pride KYGO's Mcfayden: TRL To
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December 14, 2020, Issue 735 Remembering Charley Pride Industry and radio friends and colleagues share their remembrances of Country Music Hall of Famer Charley Pride, who passed over the weekend. • Cumulus’ Brian Philips: When I was PD at KPLX (The Wolf)/Dallas in 1999, I would see him at Las Colinas Golf Club, where he was a member and played all the time. I knew it was Charley, but I was shy. Eventually, I got up the courage to talk to him and tell him his records were some of the first country songs I heard and really appreciated. I also told him he was no friend to the DJ, as most of them were only two minutes long – he could have added one more chorus on the way out. He laughed because he’d heard that a lot from radio people. “Everyone made short songs back then,” he said. “Country stations played 50 songs an hour!” He warmed to the conversation effortlessly, was generous with his time and looked me in the eye. I’m sure he suffered unbearable indignities in his life, but all that felt a million miles away by the time I met him. He was a man of his own Chicagoals: WUSN/Chicago’s St. Jude radiothon brings in creation, living the good life. There more than $764,000. Pictured (top, l-r) are the station’s Scotty was an all-American aura about Kay and St. Jude’s Jennifer Herrera; (middle, l-r) St. him – from his life story to the fact Jude’s Kristine Paca and the station’s Marci Braun; (bottom) there was no show-biz shield, no the station’s Drew Walker. driver. He had that square-jawed, Charley Pride squared-off athlete’s way about him – that 100,000 watt smile – and a KYGO’s McFayden: TRL To IRL real bounce in his step as he walked away to his car. As he drove As newly minted Bonneville KYGO/ off I thought, “Well, that’s why he’s Charley Pride.” Denver morning co-host Brian McFayden • Morris Higham’s Clint Higham: I didn’t know Charley, but I (CAT 12/1) wrapped his first week, he put got to be around him and Ronnie Milsap in a dressing room during a a temporary pause on moving logistics and CMA Awards show. Ronnie was talking about how Charley gave him exploring his new locale to tell Country his first opening spot on a tour – and Charley was hot as a match at Aircheck about returning to radio. Those the time. When the tour was over, Ronnie wanted to repay him in some in the age demo that rocked butterfly clips, way, but Charley told him, “You don’t owe me anything. Keep passing bandanas, frosted tips and cargo pants might it on down to the other acts, son.” (continued on page 7) know him as an MTV VJ, the host of MTV’s Brian McFayden ©2020 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] December 14, 2020 Page 3 Total Request Live (TRL), CBS’ Cupid and WB’s Beauty and the Geek. Prior to making the move to Denver – where he’s excited Despite those credentials and local and national television stops to take in live shows as soon as touring resumes – McFayden in Atlanta, Los Angeles and New York, his radio roots and love of spent much of quarantine visiting family in Omaha, St. Louis and country music run deep. In fact, when it comes to Brian McFayden, Minneapolis ... all strong Country radio markets. But, his focus as the saying goes, “You think you know, but you have no idea.” remained on KYGO. “I’d Video Killed The Radio Star: After getting his start at stream Tracy’s show each Alternative KEGE/Minneapolis in the mid-’90s, McFayden made the morning and found myself move to New York at Rock WXRK before MTV came calling. But, he getting more and more explains, “I was pretty certain I had lost the gig, because they asked excited to work with her,” me what kind of music I liked, and I said, ‘Country! My favorite he says. “This music will is Randy Travis.’ When they looked confused, I randomly broke always be my favorite, and out into a chorus of ‘Diggin’ Up Bones’ as if that would help.” His there are some huge stars singing may not have won over execs, but his personality, charm, on Country radio right now. I want to turn up every on-air presence and high-school-homecoming-king good looks Dawn Denver: Dixon did. [Ed. Note: Having worn butterfly clips to prom, I can personally song, go to every concert, and McFayden vouch.] A two-decades-long national television career ensued. and get to know these “I met Tracy doing a call-in segment about MTV for her artists and the people in the business.” He also has a “beer bucket show a decade or so ago,” says McFayden. “We had an instant list” and hopes to raise a glass with Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, chemistry – so much so, my then-girlfriend got jealous!” That quick Jake Owen and the guys in Old Dominion, among others. interaction led to a friendship rooted in a love of radio, sports, From folding laundry with Patsy Cline in the background country music and the outdoors. “Tracy is one of my closest friends, to auditioning for MTV with an acapella rendition of a Randy and we’ve wanted to work together for years,” he says. The timing Travis classic – to bantering with a longtime friend while spinning was never quite right, though ... until it was. “Tracy sent me a Morgan Wallen and Maren Morris – McFayden says he couldn’t text a few months back that just said, ‘What about now?’ and I have planned it better if he tried. “This is exactly where I want to be immediately knew what she meant,” he explains. But his hiring and what I want to be doing. As far as I’m concerned, this is where wasn’t a foregone conclusion. “Once [PD] Brian [Michel] heard us I’ll be forever. I’m not focusing on accolades or notoriety, but on together, I think he got it,” quips McFayden. “Tracy is a pro, and all doing a great show every day and having fun with my best friend.” we have to do is outline topics, pot up the mics and be ourselves. He’s already earned his spot at the Dixon family dinner table; now This is the most fun I’ve ever had.” The co-hosts also plan to he’s aiming for listener pre-sets in Denver and beyond. capitalize on McFayden’s on-camera experience to elevate the Stream the station here; welcome McFayden to the format here. show’s online and social media presence and are looking forward –Monta Vaden to tag-teaming on multi-platform content moving forward. A Country Boy Can Survive: But, Country radio? Absolutely, Top 30 Christmas Songs says McFayden: “I have always loved the music and the format, so Here are Country’s most-played Christmas songs through the ability to combine that with my friendship with Tracy and come Dec. 12, according to Mediabase 24/7, along with final 2019 back to my first passion of radio? Total no-brainer.” He recalls rankings. Of note: Dan + Shay’s “Take Me Home For Christmas” fondly working alongside his mother folding laundry as she listened is the only 2020 release to make the top 30, though five songs to Patsy Cline records well before his own aforementioned love of that finished below top 30 last year have climbed in. The six Randy Travis took hold. Fortuitously, McFayden’s parents also lived songs dropping out of the top 30 (last year’s rank in parentheses) in Colorado before he was born, giving him a sense of familial are Alan Jackson’s “Let It Be Christmas (15), Kellie Pickler’s connection to the area. Having his adult son join him in his new “Santa Baby” (18), Montgomery Gentry’s “Merry Christmas home will close the circle on the family connection. From The Family” (20), Brad Paisley’s “Santa Looked A Lot Like ©2020 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] December 14, 2020 Page 5 WITH ... JAKE OWEN An inside look at how Big Loud’s Jake people interactions that spawn creativity. Owen is spending his Quaran-Time: Social media helped me stay I’ve actually been able to live more of connected to fans at first, then I believe a normal daily life. I’m never home for more the “live” interaction became a little than a few days at a time, and it feels pretty overdone. Sometimes it’s nice to step good to be able to sleep in my own bed and back for a bit and come back with new rock my little girl to sleep at night. I’ve tried material and surprises. to see the positive side of all of this. Started bingeing with Ozark, then I finally got myself into a routine Breaking Bad and now I’m reading A Land that isn’t touring. I’m a routine dad now. I Remembered for about the fifth time. have time to spend with Erica and focus on My go-to quarantine snack is almonds. our family. Don’t get me wrong … I always The silver lining in all of this is focus on my family, but it’s a lot easier definitely more time with my family.