November 4, 2013, Issue 370 Labels On Radio Tours Square Dance: Investment, eye contact, awkward moments and great Keifer Thompson stories ensued when we asked radio pros for their perspectives of Stoney Creek’s on artist visits (CAW 10/14). And now the tables turn as we Thompson Square ask promotion execs (and an artist) for their thoughts on the celebrates being traditional launch campaign. named Songwriter of the Year at last Overwhelmingly, the biggest issue in determining the success night’s SESAC or failure of a radio tour stop is whether anyone cares. Show Dog- awards at the Universal’s Josh Thompson says that was Country Music Hall the pivot point during his 12-week radio tour. Of Fame & Museum “The good visits had people there that were (11/3). Pictured (l- ready to listen or even sometimes one person, r) are SESAC’s Pat but they loved music. Bad ones were where Collins, Thompson, and SESAC’s Tim it was just obvious that they could care less Fink and Shannan about meeting another new artist.” Hatch. Josh Thompson Promo Prep: For artists, homework is the key. “I have lived this as an artist and a promotion executive ... there are no shortcuts,” says BMLG Marketing: Sony’s Shoe-Ins EVP and Republic Nashville President Jimmy If you’ve flown out of Nashville International Airport (BNA) in the Harnen. “It is not easy performing for an last eight weeks or so, you may have noticed some familiar faces audience inside of 10 feet in a conference room staring up at you as you place your shoes in or office. And it is at that very moment that security bins: country artists. Sony/Nashville one truly appreciates what Malcolm Gladwell paired eight of its acts on four inserts under the is illustrating in his best seller Outliers when he banner, “Music to fly by” during the campaign. discusses the 10,000 hours rule.” And they’re not done yet. Nine North VP/Promotion & Marketing and Jimmy Harnen “If you’re just another box on the cereal Crush Management consultant Tom Moran aisle shelf, you can get lost in all the other says, “We always try and have the act do a couple of stuff,” explains Sony Chairman/CEO Gary (continued on page 6) Overton. “So we’re always looking for Gary Overton ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] November 4, 2013 Page 3 ways to stand out. We’ve seen people advertise in the airport, but it’s very expensive and I’m not sure people see those displays PAGE THREE PIC mounted on the walls. But everybody has to go through security. Other airports have done this and we heard about that, so we told the folks in Nashville and they were way up for it. It’s another revenue source for them.” Featured were Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert and Chris Young, Jake Owen and Kenny Chesney, and Tyler Farr and The Henningsens. “It’s a captive audience,” Overton says. “Everybody has to use at least one and we estimate we’ve gotten six million impressions over the eight weeks. Young ‘uns: Dreamworks’ Randy Travis (second from “It really accomplished what we wanted. I remember going right) drops in on KYCY/San Francisco’s Erik Logan in the late ‘90s. Pictured and representing the moniker through security myself and watching people notice the ads for well (l-r) are the label’s Bob Mitchell and Scott the first time, or turn the bins around to read them right-side-up. Borchetta, Logan, and Travis and his manager Lib And we’ve gotten more people commenting, from managers to Hatcher. Got vintage picture paper? Email it to songwriters to artists. Texts, calls and comments – people really have [email protected]. noticed. I sent Brad Paisley a photo of a bin that he was in and said, ‘If you flew commercial like your label head and millions of other joining “One Of Those Nights” and “Highway Don’t Care.” travelers, this is what you would see in the security line at BNA.” Notice: This week’s Country Aircheck/Mediabase Country Although the initial run ended late last month, travelers chart was compiled using new station weights that may have shouldn’t be surprised to see future Sony images in the bins ... affected some songs in plus/minus airplay, points and bullets. perhaps around high-travel events next year. Overton relishes the non-standard approach. “We had our artists on the room keys at the MGM and The Signature in Las Vegas at the last ACM News & Notes Awards,” he says. “So we’re always looking for unique places Whiplash Community Radio’s WOPC/Jackson, TN has to create general awareness, rather than just sticking ads on adopted Envision’s Hank FM Classic Country format. Affiliate buses. I heard that Scott Swift, Taylor’s dad, got a key with Carrie information here. Underwood on it and went back to the front desk to ask for a The third annual Touring Career Workshop will be blank one. We like that.” –Chuck Aly Wednesday, Nov. 13 at Soundcheck Nashville, offering free classes on road safety, financial planning, stress management, entrepreneurship and more. Register here. Chart Chat Magic Mustang Music re-signed songwriter Westin Davis Congrats to Tim McGraw, Jack Purcell for publishing. and the entire Big Machine promotion team Harry Nelson Artist Management has added Front on scoring this week’s No. 1 with McGraw’s Line Management Exec. VP Richard Palmese, Greater Media “Southern Girl.” The song is the third No. 1 Chairman/CEO Peter Smyth, WKLB/Boston’s Mike Brophey from his current album Two Lanes Of Freedom, Tim McGraw ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] November 4, 2013 Page 5 and Ginny Rogers, Gold Mountain Entertainment/Nashville’s Burt Stein, Premiere Radio Networks Co-Founder Tim Kelly, NO SHAVE NOVEMBER CHARTS former Island & Capitol Records SVP/Promotion Dave Sholin, Baby faces and gentlemen, Country Aircheck presents and artist Steve Azar to its advisory committee. No Shave November fundraising charts. Each Monday The Hit-Makers & Rum Chasers songwriter series will launch Nov. 23 at the Reichhold Center For The Arts in St. Thomas, USVI through Nov. 25, look for the top 10 fundraising teams and with Kris Rochester of the Tony & Kris show as host. Songwriters individuals in Country Aircheck Weekly. Beginning Nov. Kent Blazy, Kendell Marvel, Danny Myrick and Phil 26, daily charts will run in the Country Aircheck Today O’Donnell are set to take part. More here. emails through the end of the month. The chart closes at 2pm BMI will market its 75th anniversary with a year-long program of CT on Mondays; view real-time tracking here. commemorative projects and events celebrating its history, beginning with the coffee table book 75 Years Of American Music. The book will be presented at the annual invitation-only BMI NAB dinner in April. No Shave Teams TW Team Name Total 1 LOGS $4,465 Artist News 2 Team Curb $3,095 Dierks Bentley and Brantley Gilbert will join Brad Paisley for the 2nd Annual Taste of Country Music Festival June 3 Warner Whiskers $2,300 13-15 at Hunter Mountain Resort in Hunter, NY. Early bird tickets 4 Mattoon’s Hairy Heroes $1,335 are on sale Friday, Nov. 8 here. 5 Chris Young Fan Club $1,280 The fifth anniversaryBayou Country Superfest May 23- 6 Big Country Bearded Bandits $1,220 25 at LSU Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge will feature George (KXBG/Ft. Collins, CO) Strait, Luke Bryan, Jason Aldean, Reba, Eric Church, Chris 7 Hairy And The Hendersons $1,180 Young, Florida Georgia Line, Hunter Hayes, Lee Brice, Easton Corbin, Gloriana, Big & Rich and Joe Nichols. 8 101.3 WMCI (Mattoon, IL) $1,030 Guaranty’s WTGE/Baton Rouge will be on site. Info here. 9 Beards For My Horses (BMLG) $1,000 Backbeat Books will release a posthumous autobiography of 10 Country Aircheck $880 Buck Owens Nov. 5 entitled Buck ‘Em! The Autobiography of Buck Owens. Omnivore Recordings will also release Buck ‘Em! The Music of No Shave Individuals Buck Owens (1955-1967), a two-CD set in conjunction with the book. TW Name/Team Total Republic/Big Machine’s Danielle Bradbery will live-tweet her first CMA Awards experience Wednesday (11/6). Follow her 1 Bill Davis/LOGS $1,010 here. She is also the newest addition to CMT’s “Next Women 2 Michael Harris/Chris Young $870 Of Country” franchise, which recognizes female artists who are 3 Alexander Heddle/BMLG $780 impacting country music. More here. 4 Mark Niederhauser/Warner $690 Dolly Parton will star in Lifetime’s A Country Christmas Story Nov. 9. 5 Kris M Maleske/Mattoon $665 6 Lady Antebellum/Lady A $600 The Week’s Top Stories 7 Tom Bradham/LOGS $580 Full coverage at countryaircheck.com. 8 Jason Riopelle/In Hot Water $530 • Clear Channel flipped Top 40WKSL/Raleigh to Country as 9 Ken Lindas/LOGS $500 “Carolina’s New Country B93.9.” (11/4) 10 Michael Arroyo/-- $500 • CBS Radio’s KMLE/Phoenix launched the Steve & Nina ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] November 4, 2013 Page 6 morning show with former Top 40 WSJT/Tampa morning host Steve Kramer and KMLE afternooner Nina D; night personality MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE David Dean took over KMLE afternoons.