April 2, 2018, Issue 595 Boomer’s Excellent Adventure Incoming Cumulus/Indianapolis OM and WFMS PD Chris- topher “Boomer” Layfield (Breaking News 3/20) counted 11 radio stops prior to this, his first in Country. He took a break from packing boxes last week to tell Country Aircheck about coming home to the format. CA: How’d you first get the radio bug? B: My family is from Brooklyn and I grew up in the late ‘70s and early ‘80s listening to [Top 40 WHTZ] Z100 – Scott Shannon, the Z Morning Zoo and the “worst to first” campaign. That’s what made me a Top 40 guy. My dad worked on Wall Street in finance and was part of a very small group of investors who had just enough money to get their hands on five or six radio stations in small markets across the Atlantic coast. Most of them were Country stations. For a couple of summers I remember Christopher driving around from market to market and vis- iting these stations. The magic these men and Don’t Stop Retrieving: Valory’s Brantley Gilbert (second Layfield from l) and wife Amber (l) present a veteran (c) with a new women created hooked me instantly. I was a companion dog with help from the folks at Pedigree (r) shy kid, so the ability to perform behind the shield of a microphone during his The Ones That Like Me Tour. was probably what drew me to the business. Any favorite memories of those visits? I have two. The first is, at some point we rode on The Oak Introducing Country AF Radio Ridge Boys’ tour bus, right in their heyday. The other is getting to What does radio sound like when ratings, corporate mandates, spend the night at Mel Tillis’ house, which had this huge hallway charts, transmitters and even the need to make money aren’t down the middle that reminded me and my brother of a bowling considerations? Look no alley. He let us slide things down and pretend it actually was. further than Country AF Where does the travelogue start? Radio, says Las Vegas I was a high school intern for News/Talk WABC-AM. Top 40 nightclub owner Chris WPLJ was across the hall. The night jock on ‘PLJ, I think his name Lowden. The Stoney’s was Domino, actually helped with my first Top 40 aircheck. I’m Rockin’ Country principal, sure it was terrible, but I wish I still had it. along with Marketing I had a mobile DJ service through high school and into college Dir./business partner at St. Bonaventure. After my freshman year, I somehow convinced Jeff “Toad” Higgin- the dean to allow us to keep the radio station on during the sum- botham, launched the mer, putting kids from the local vocational school on it as DJs. I internet station March 1 Kris Daniels, Chris Lowden and guess that was my first program director job. as a vehicle to promote (continued on page 6) emerging artists and, of Jeff “Toad” Higginbotham ©2018 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 2, 2018 Page 3 MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE course, Stoney’s. And for anyone doubting the seriousness of the Big & Rich’s John Rich discusses his most project, last month the pair appointed former KCYE (102.7 The influential music: Coyote)/Las Vegas PD/morning host Kris Daniels to help lead it 1. Johnny Cash: He’s the greatest (CAT 2/26). Country Aircheck recently joined a conference call singer/songwriter of all time. He said with the trio to find out what prompted the new offering and what more with less than any writer ever did. I they hope to accomplish. aspire to write with his efficiency of words The Why: Stoney’s Rockin’ Country is a 19,000 square foot and level of power in the delivery. nightclub five miles from the Las Vegas Strip and well known not 2. Roger Miller: He was the Robin only to local country fans, but to the industry as well. A partner Williams of country music. No one in our to the Academy of John Rich genre ever had a quicker wit, or a more Country Music in the crafty delivery than Roger. He’s the one annual Party For A guy I wish I could have met. Cause events, SRC is 3. John Anderson: He’s the George Jones of my intently focused on generation. No one has ever sounded like him. The songs he being a stop for up- recorded are all classics – even the ones that weren’t on the and-coming talent. radio. He’s pure country. Lowden and compa- 4. AC/DC: The guitar riffs and four-on-the-floor beats ny say strengthening really appealed to me when I was younger, and I’ve used that position can be that influence in a lot of my songwriting: “Save A Horse,” a challenge, especially given the parameters governing the mar- “Hicktown,” “Johnny Cash,” “Comin’ To Your City,” and so on. ket’s two Country stations – KCYE and iHeart’s KWNR. 5. Johnny Horton: He was famous for writing and “We learned about the restraints that terrestrial radio stations recording “American history”-type songs, like “The Battle Of are under fairly quickly,” Lowden says. “Everyone seems to have New Orleans,” “Sink The Bismarck” and “North To Alaska.” their hands tied when it comes to marketing emerging artists.” He I’ve written a few like that, and really admire what he stood argues that social media outlets have proven to be better advertis- for and how he felt about America. ing platforms for the club, and that local radio isn’t always inter- • Highly regarded music you’ve actually never ested in supporting unfamiliar artists. Complicating matters are the heard: You may not have heard of Angie Aparo. But I love casinos, which spend a lot of money on radio and enjoy a caval- his singing so much, I’ve put it in my will for him to sing at my cade of top-tier country acts. “We get the short end of the stick,” funeral, should he outlive me. He’s an alien of a singer. I’d Lowden says. “We generate 3,000 visits a week, but we’re still just a suggest everyone go buy his records immediately. My favorite bar. Ultimately, Toad and I just decided to go our own way.” of his is called The American. The What: Enter Country AF Radio. “Money is not the primary • “Important” music you just don’t get: Death Metal. goal,” Lowden says of the station. “It’s to create a compelling Anything that has no melody and hurts my head isn’t product where people can hear great songs by emerging artists something I care to listen to. Seems like it would drive people that they don’t typically hear on terrestrial radio, and to tie that in crazy if they listened to it all the time. to what we’re already doing for [those acts] at Stoney’s.” • An album you listened to incessantly: Roger Miller’s Radio vet Daniels was an obvious choice to help lead the ef- Dang Me. fort. “We worked together when I was still at The Coyote, so we • Obscure or non-country song everyone should already had a working relationship,” she says of Lowden and listen to right now: John Anderson’s “Weeds.” This song is Higginbotham, who approached Daniels after her departure so deep in the lyric, you need three listens before you absorb from KCYE (CAT 8/23). “As someone who’s been in terrestrial it all. And there are very few lyrics in it. John is a genius radio for 20 years, it’s kind of hard to wrap your head around songwriter. how this works, but the reason I got into radio in the first place, • Music you’d rather not admit to enjoying: ‘80s pop – and country specifically, is because I have a passion for the Mister Mister, Toto, etc. music and artists.” ©2018 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] April 2, 2018 Page 5 The How: A sample hour from Country AF Radio (below) OFF THE RECORD: SHANE OWENS supports its new artist position, adding a smattering of familiar recurrent and gold titles. Average vintage: 2015. Aggressive, Reviver/1608’s Shane Owens puts an humorous and sometimes salty creative drives station messaging, industry spin on the artist interview: which at times includes listener explanations of what it means to I grew up listening to WTVY/Dothan, be “Country AF.” The logo proclaims, “ Emerging, Badass, New.” AL. They played good traditional country Daniels fronts the morning show in addition to her program- music, and I remember the Grand Ole Opry ming responsibilities. “It’s the same interactive morning show I was always playing on that station every did before,” she says. “Listeners connect via social media, call or Saturday night. text – nothing has changed in that regard.” On the whole, “it’s The first time I heard myself on the like taking the great music found on Spotify and pairing it with radio, I was in my hometown of Samson, AL, the content found on terrestrial radio,” she says. A familiar face to Shane Owens driving down the road. Like any other artist, Stoney’s customers, Higginbotham sometimes joins Daniels on the I was excited. It’s one of the coolest things to show and fronts various afternoon features.