February 27, 2017, Issue 539 Do What You New: CRS/Country Aircheck award winners, the 2017 New Faces artists and Country Aircheck staff following Friday’s CRS- closing New Faces show. Pictured (l-r) front are Granger Smith, William Michael Morgan, Maren Morris, Drake White and Jon Pardi; (middle, l-r) WRNS/Greenville, NC’s Carletta Blake, Big Loud’s Stacy Blythe, WUSY/Chattanooga’s Justin Cole, KUZZ/Bakersfield’s Brent Michaels, Bob Kingsley, GrassRoots’ Nancy Tunick, Big Machine’s Jack Purcell, WSIX/Nashville’s Amy Paige, WQHK/Ft. Wayne, IN’s Jim Allgeier, KUPL/Portland’s Danny Dwyer, CA’s Russ Penuell and Lon Helton; (back, l-r) WSIX’s Ryan McKiddy and Gator Harrison, KFDI/Wichita, KS’ Carol Hughes, Big Loud’s Clay Hunnicutt, KAJA/San Antonio’s Bree Wagner, CA’s Paul Williams and April Johnson, KXKT/Omaha’s Hoss Michaels, CA’s Wendy Newcomer and Shelby Farrer, Big Machine’s Alex Valentine and CA’s Chuck Aly. See the full list of CRS/CA winners here. ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] February 27, 2017 Page 3 Radio Reacts To CRS ‘17 We came, we saw, we ... well, you fill in the blank.Country Aircheck asked a bevy of radio pros to give an assessment of CRS 2017, starting with a CRS rookie. KKGO/Los Angeles PD Michael Levine: I really enjoyed “Inside Studio G with Garth Brooks” as it was interesting to hear how the industry is changing from the artist’s perspective. The UMG/Nashville lunch was a real highlight. I enjoyed hearing the Lauren Alaina and Seth Ennis performance, which I think would be a perfect fit for Los Angeles if it gets released in the near future. I also enjoyed seeing the new artists from BMLG; Trent Harmon had an amazing performance. Michael Levine Overall, this was a fantastic event and is truly a must-attend for anyone working in country music. The ability to connect with the various record labels, artists, and programming teams from stations around the country helps make this truly special. WIVK/Knoxville PD Nikki Thomas: I loved the Edison Research presentation. Garth was great and, having lived so close to Silicon Valley, I always wondered why he chose Amazon for his online music. His explanation makes sense. The Ryman lunch was great as usual, and the performance by Lauren Alaina was the one that grabbed my heart. New artists? Walker McGuire Star Of The Show: CMT/Premier’s Cody Alan with St. Jude are cool. Midland, too. It feels like country music Children’s Research Hospital patient Kael prior to Friday’s is coming back. It was great to see someone New Faces dinner. with a steel guitar on the New Faces stage. Have we checked to see how long it’s been since that happened? Jon Pardi had a show in our market Nikki Thomas The Kids Are Alright the next night – he’s so great live! Friday’s (2/24) CRS New Faces Of Country Music show kicked A young guy who does web stuff for us didn’t even tell me he off with Dot’s Drake White, who brought laughs with his video, was on a panel and coming to CRS. He called me the next day so which poked fun at White being mistaken for that other artist, excited. “I didn’t know this was such a big deal! This is great! More R&B star Drake. White people should know about this!” That’s a good sign. performed five songs KZSN/Wichita PD Brian Jennings: The including “It Feels Programmers Breakfast is always incredible. It’s Good,” “Livin’ The not about coming in and listening to people. It’s Dream” and “Makin’ about kicking the tires and asking top PDs any Me Look Good Again,” question you may have. This is the best of CRS in which earned him its most personal form. a standing ovation. On the music side, I am blown away by the While the Warner table talent of Midland. That performance was incred- donned cowboy hats Brian Jennings and waved them in ible. And that single “Drinkin’ Problem” haunts CRS 2017’s New Faces of Country Music the air, Warner Bros./ ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] February 27, 2017 Page 6 WMN’s William Michael Morgan’s five-song set featured “Vi- MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE nyl,” “I Know Who He Is” and his first No.1, debut “I Met A Girl.” Wheelhouse’s Granger Smith’s video highlighted his DIY path Atlantic/WEA's Aubrie Sellers discusses her most to success, followed by songs including current single “If The Boot influential music: Fits” and chart-topping debut “Backroad Song.” Smith exited the 1. Ralph Stanley: He's my favorite singer of all stage only to return as alter ego Earl Dibbles, Jr., who shotgunned time. I got to sing on the last record he made before beer, sang “Country Boy Song” and tossed his autographed he passed away, which was incredible. I never t-shirt into the crowd. “This is an amazing start to this year,” said thought that would happen. They call it "mountain Capitol’s Jon Pardi, whose showcase included “She Ain’t In It,” soul" – and he has so much of it. Nobody else in the his first No. 1, “Head Over Boots,” and current single “Dirt On My world sounds like him. Boots.” Columbia’s Maren Morris capped the night with a video highlighting her winning year, which included a Grammy for de- 2. Steve Earle: I envy his career because he Aubrie Sellers but single “My Church.” Also in Morris’ set were “’80s Mercedes,” always stuck to his guns and didn't follow any “Rich” and new single “I Could Use A Love Song.” Smith summed trends. He still makes great music. If you can have that kind of career, up the sentiments of all five when he said, “I’m not following my then you've made it. dream anymore. I caught it. I’m here! And thank God and Coun- 3. Alison Krauss & Robert Plant's Raising Sand: I love that try radio for that fact.” –Wendy Newcomer record. Alison is such a great singer and I've listened to a lot of Led Zeppelin. It's my two favorite worlds colliding. These two artists came together and created something totally new. Chart Chat Congrats to Little Big Town, Royce Risser, Bobby Young, 4. Loretta Lynn & Jack White's "Portland, Oregon": The guitar David Friedman and the Capitol promotion team on scoring sounds on that song are amazing. It's classic country but presented in a a second week at No. 1 new and different way. It never gets old to me. I will think it's cool forever. with “Better Man.” 5. Led Zeppelin:UPDATE They were the first rock band I listened to. I was And kudos to Katie blown away. The way their guitars and drums sound on their records Bright and the WMN really influenced the production of my record. We took all the country regionals on notching stuff I love and made it new with a lot of those sounds from their records. 49 adds for Brett El- • Highly regarded music you've actually never heard: I've dredge’s “Somethin’ I’m obviously heard The Beatles, but I haven't gone through all their Good At,” topping this Little Big Town albums. Most musicians I know that are hardcore music lovers have week’s board. listened to every single album and know every song. I know the hits, but I haven't listened to any of the deep cuts. CRS Panel Recaps • "Important" music you just don't get: I listen to everything from Sessions roundups are also available in the website archives bluegrass to rock to classical, but I've never gotten into instrumental jazz. and in the CRS Daily Buzz here. • An album you listened to incessantly: I know I just talked about Coaching The Coaches: “Don’t chase money ... chase Raising Sand, but I have seriously listened to that record more than any dreams.” That’s how ESPN/ABC-TV’s Kirk Herbstreit addressed other one. the idea of talent motivation at this fast-paced session. Ace from • Obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to the syndicated Ace & TJ Show said of coaches, “I need to know you think I can do the job. Believe in me.” He urged managers right now: Jake Bugg. He's from England and has a song called to be a fan first, then as a fan tell personalities how they can "Lightning Bolt." I was blown away the first time I heard it. improve. One of the duo’s first encouraging signs came when they • Music you'd rather not admit to enjoying: Any bad '90s rock asked another successful morning radio team to give them feed- music. I don't even want to say artist names. (laughs) But it's nostalgic! back. “Sounds like you get it,” was the message from Jeff & Jer. ©2017 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] February 27, 2017 Page 9 Robin Meade from HLN’s Morning Express shared that when South Bend, IN’s Jesse Garcia and Erika Ogle and KZPK/St. she was in Chicago, she let all the outside voices get in her head Cloud, MN’s JJ Holiday and Stephanie Theisen.