A Real Page Turner Hall Class Goes Deep
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June 26, 2017, Issue 556 Hall Class Goes Deep From insightful to inspirational, last week’s Country Radio Hall of Fame inductions in Nashville gave a glimpse of the people who make this industry great. Read in-depth stories from this year’s class in our June print issue here. CRB Board President Charlie Morgan introduced 2017 President’s Award recipient, UMG/Nashville’s Mike Dungan, who reiterated his commitment to Country Radio Seminar. Thanking his staff, artists and family, Dungan said, “I also want to thank everyone in radio. Well, almost everyone in radio, for being terrific partners in bringing the world’s greatest music, country music, to its place of dominance in our culture.” Martina McBride’s longtime label head Joe Galante introduced the Artist Career Achievement honoree, calling her voice “virtually unmatched.” Noting most credit any emotional dysfunction to their upbringing, McBride said, “I kind of trace mine back to Country radio. But it’s okay because it made me strong. All the hard work we put in ... made all the success that much sweeter.” She told stories of her radio tours and Prison Pose: Big Machine’s Rascal Flatts and WUSN/Chicago’s made a point to thank by name all Marci Braun get a good laugh over the weekend at the Windy City Lake Shake after warning the label’s Alex Valentine that the regionals and promotion execs the rap squat is so 2014. she worked with along the way. “I always wanted to have songs on the radio and to have songs that mattered,” she said. “You guys A Real Page Turner allowed me to do both. Thank you.” After seven years of marriage, his wife surprised him by asking On to the Class of 2017: Valory’s for a divorce. His son struggled with drug addiction, George Briner inducted his violated probation and was sentenced to 10 years in Tim Closson “brother from a different mother” the Tennessee State Prison system. Meanwhile, the Westwood One’s Tim Closson, story’s protagonist was traveling across the country regaling the crowd with a series of with artists and bands, and living “the high life” favorite stories and hinting at others he couldn’t tell. with radio friends. No, this is not the latest plot line “What a ride,” Closson began. “It’s not over yet, but none for CMT’s Nashville. This is real life. of it happens without the people I’ve talked about tonight.” He Turner’s Big Radio & Record Adventure by radio thanked his wife and family, mentors and colleagues. Extending an and label vet Dale Turner is drawn from journals (continued on page 8) kept during a five-decade career in entertainment. ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] (continued on page 1) June 26, 2017 Page 4 “The book is separated into three parts,” he says. “My youth Ronnie Milsap to visit all growing up in St. Louis until I was 18, my radio days, and my 26 three Country stations. years in the music business.” “I got chewed out for Turner started in radio in 1970 and was on air for 14 years not securing a limo,” at stations in San Antonio, Terre Haute, Little Rock, Nashville, he recalls. “I thought I Cincinnati and Memphis. He moved to the record side in 1983, was saving the company spending 14 years at RCA and 12 at Lyric Street. He went back to money.” Milsap rolled radio five years ago doing mornings at WDKN/Dickson, TN, just with it all, including down the road from his home in Kingston Springs. “A group of when Turner ran out us were interested in buying the station, but I’m glad we didn’t,” of film in his camera Turner says. “I took that money and paid off my house.” He after the first radio visit. stopped by the station one day to meet the new owners and the Turner chuckles, “He next thing he knew, he was on the air in mornings. played along, even “I wrote the book as a legacy for my children,” Turner offering to take some of explains. The task also gave him the opportunity to write an the pictures.” Signing On: Turner (r) with Spotify’s acceptance speech, of sorts, showing his appreciation to mentors Writing only became John Marks at a book signing. and others who helped him along the way. “It’s not like I’m ever difficult when Turner going into any kind of Hall of Fame, but I wanted to say thanks.” was chronicling two As many with long careers in this business know, wild stories passages. “The ending are easy to come by. Turner “took one for the team” when he of my seven-year marriage to my high school sweetheart was was on the air at WSAI/Cincinnati. He agreed to mud wrestle devastating,” he says. “I spent six months living in a bottle of the smallest member of the famed “Chicago Knockers” women’s vodka.” His fortunes turned on a blind date to a Cincinnati Reds mud wrestling team. After advising him to take off his glasses, game. He’s been married to his date, Pat, for 35 years. the five-foot 90-pound “Blonde Bombshell” pinned him after two The other difficult topic was “the chaos of my son’s drug quick rounds. addiction,” he says, noting the book has brought father and son In his first month as an RCA regional, Turner rode the Alabama closer. “Mark told me he discovered things about me from the tour bus through the Midwest. For his initiation, tour manager book, he didn’t even know.” Greg Fowler left him locked in the bus by himself in Ames, Iowa. Publishing wasn’t without challenges. Turner had a deal with He had fallen asleep and had no idea where he was and where Readers Digest, but walked away after months of going back and everyone went. The next week, he was sent to Chicago with forth. “They would call every two or three days telling me I had to ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 26, 2017 Page 6 take stories about certain people out of the book,” he says. “They MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE were afraid to get sued.” Turner ended up self-publishing through SmackSongs’ Walker Hayes discusses his Amazon and CreateSpace. “There are only a couple stories I left most influential music: out,” he adds. So, yes, he names names and doesn’t hold back. 1. Harry Chapin’s “Cats In The Cradle”: He promises to put those stories on his website. That song was set apart lyrically from anything Dale and Pat are planning a summer book tour to the markets I was hearing at that time. Back when you where he worked in radio. And as half the proceeds are being actually went to a store and bought an album, donated to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, he suggests, “If I bought his live album at Peaches. So I didn’t any Country Cares partners want to interview me on the air, I have just get a series of tracks; I heard all the stories great stories about Rascal Flatts, Ronnie Milsap, Alabama, Kenny Walker Hayes he told before he sang these songs. And he Rogers, Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Billy Ray Cyrus and more. Plus also surrounded them with humor. Little did I know I would we can raise some money for the hospital.” Get the book here, want to end up doing that for a living. reach Turner here, see his website here. –Paul Williams 2. Tim McGraw’s “Don’t Take The Girl”: This song changed my life. I was in seventh grade. I wasn’t even old enough to understand why it meant so much to me. I just knew it was great. Chart Chat 3. Tupac Shakur’s All Eyez On Me: I was a huge Hip Hop Congrats to Tyler fan growing up. I was obsessed with him. I had that album in Hubbard, Brian Kelley, my car for an entire summer. Matthew Hargis and the 4. Jimmy Buffett, Fins Tour, Pensacola, FL: It was the first concert I ever saw. It blew my frickin’ mind. I actually got kicked BMLG Records promotion out for drinking beer underage, but eventually made it to more team on landing this week’s of his shows. He was a big influence on anyone in Mobile. He No. 1 with Florida Georgia Line’s “God, Your Mama, And has that coastal vibe. Florida Georgia Line 5. Kenny Chesney: He’s hands-down the most entertaining Me” featuring the Backstreet live performer I’ve ever seen. The beach balls are flying Boys. The song is the third everywhere. There are TV screens bigger than I’ve ever seen, chart-topper from their Dig Your Roots album. Songwriters are Josh and usually 80,000 + people singing the songs with you in the Kear, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson. nosebleeds. And kudos to Bobby Young and the Capitol crew for notching • Highly regarded music you’ve actually never heard: I 29 adds on Little Big Town’s “When Someone Stops Loving have not purchased Sam Hunt’s Montevallo. It’s super You,” topping this week’s board. With a tip of the hat to Stone embarrassing because my producer, Shane McAnally, is his Door Media Lab’s Jeff Green, LBT snaps a streak of 10 consecutive producer.