January 18, 2011 Issue 226 Night Schooled: Cody Alan Two years ago today, Cody Alan cracked the mic on the first installment of CMT Radio Live, and it’s been a fast and furious 24-month build. The four-hour weeknight show is now heard in 88 markets. A weekend show was launched last April and reaches 43 markets. Alan co-hosts CMT-TV’s #1 Music & A Movie and hosts CMT.com’s Hot Headlines. He’s also a guest columnist for Country Weekly, a regular Wildflowers: The JaneDear girls visit with St. Jude Children’s Hospital contributor to CNN Headline News’ Prime News, patient Carissa during last weekend’s Country Cares for St. Jude Seminar. a talking head for E! and the 2010 ACM National More than 30 artists attended the annual event, with a total attendance Cody Alan of more than 800 including radio pros, industry execs and label reps. On-Air Personality. With more than 500 shows Sports commentator and former NFL quarterback Joe Theismann under his multi-media belt, we figured it was a delivered the keynote address. More than $385 million has been raised in good time to check in with Alan for an assessment of the show’s Country Cares’ 22 years. progress and direction. Plus, we really like his initials. CA: What were your expectations for the show, and how News & Notes have they changed? • Kix Brooks, Bob DiPiero and Big Al CA: I knew the CMT brand meant so much to the country Anderson will perform at KUPL/Portland’s audience, so I thought if we could connect the dots between Songwriters Showcase Thursday (1/20). Brooks CMT and radio, it would be a winning connection. To steal a will host at Studio 987 @ the Bing Lounge title from Jack Ingram, we had big dreams and high hopes. as the accomplished writers share a “night of Kix Brooks How has the show changed since the launch? number ones.” We’re much better technically. When I got to CMT, they • Bonneville Radio Group/St. Louis, including had two mics and a board. The people were great in offering to Country WIL, has been chosen by Heat Up St. Louis as the get us anything we needed, and we were able to learn and grow 2010 Corporate Citizen Of The Year, honoring the three-station for a little while before we hit the airwaves. We’re a lot cleaner cluster for its volunteerism within the community. now than we were in the earlier going. (continued on page 4) • The inaugural Texas Regional Radio Music Awards Show, ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] January 18, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 honoring Texas/Red Dirt artists who have achieved Texas Radio THE PAGE THREE PIC Chart positions, will be held March 25 at the Arlington (TX) Music Hall. Artists can be nominated and voted for by fans, music industry professionals and their peers here. • Envision Radio Neworks’ AmeriCountry prep adds WNWN/ Kalamazoo, MI as its latest affiliate. • Federated Media’s AC WMEE & Country WQHK/Ft. Wayne, IN OM/PD Rob Kelley is handing off the AC duties to solely focus on ‘QHK as Jimmy Knight joins the company as OM/PD for the AC station. • KB Radio Works has announced the formation of Bishop Media This Is How We Do It: Ah, the classic trade pic (radio, artist, records) & Marketing. The new company will focus on better serving its with a bygone bent: Radio pro John Marks, Larry Gatlin and label exec Jack Lameier. Got on old school photo to share? Drop us a jpeg at existing client base and begin to recruit affiliates for syndicated [email protected]. radio shows Rise-Up Country With John Ritter and The Direct Connection Christian radio show. Contact Karyn Bishop at 615- 429-8969 or here. • Open Road Music Publishing has inked a deal with singer- to the Knoxville News Sentinel, Miles Ledbetter believed that songwriter Dean Miller. The son of Roger Miller has co-written “the music had caused him to lose his job, ruined his marriage with Jamey Johnson and has penned songs for George Jones, Trace and many more things,” as stated in an affidavit by a Sony Adkins, Joe Nichols and Hank Williams III. security executive. Ledbetter threatened to “blow up Sony • Cumulus’ WLXX/Lexington is searching for its next PD Music employees and members of the music community.” A following last month’s departure of Robert John. A minimum of manufacturing engineer who ran for a local government office last three years’ success in the Country format is required. Resumes to year, Ledbetter, 31, has been jailed since Jan. 6. Read more here. Cumulus/Lexington, 200 W. Vine St., Lexington, KY 40507 or here. Chart Chat TargetSpot Picks UP CBS Interactive Group Congrats to Kenny Chesney, Bryan New York-based digital audio advertising network TargetSpot Frasher, Buffy Cooper and the whole BNA is now selling in-stream audio ads for CBS Radio stations promo staff on scoring this week’s No. 1 with available on the Radio.com, AOL Radio and Yahoo! Music mobile Chesney’s “Somewhere With You.” Chesney’s apps, as well as for Radio.com’s iPad mobile app. Combined, last chart-topper, “The Boys Of Fall,” peaked last September. the CBS Interactive Music Group apps, which provide access Kenny Chesney to 600+ stations overall and 130 broadcast radio stations, have been downloaded 14 million times since their releases, with users NickFest Reminder averaging 22 minutes of listening per session. Celebrate the life and legacy of the late Nick Hunter at Nashville’s 2602 Soundstage Jan. 25 at 6pm CT. Industry and Man Arrested For Threatening Sony baseball colleagues are encouraged to bring their “Nick” stories An East Tennessee man has been arrested after making a to be recorded by his family and friends. Dress is standard threatening call to Sony/Nashville on Christmas Eve. According “Nick” attire. Donations can be made in his name to the ©2011 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] January 18, 2011 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 4 American Cancer Society or the Nashville Humane Society. HECK U T RSVP by Jan. 18 here. C O Jan. 25 Joe Nichols Greatest Hits (Show Dog-Universal) Artist News Darius Rucker is mixing business with Feb. 1 JaneDear girls the JaneDear girls (Warner Bros./WMN) pleasure by releasing “Together, Anything’s Feb. 8 Various Artists The Music Inside: A Collaboration Possible” to support the PGA Tour’s charity Dedicated To Waylon Jennings (Scatter/Valory) initiative of the same name. The song is available Thompson Square Thompson Square (Stoney Creek) through iTunes, and proceeds from download sales for one year will benefit PGA Tour Album release info to [email protected]. charities including the First Tee and World Golf Darius Rucker Foundation. “I think everyone knows my love for golf and music, and this partnership really marries the two,” Lady Antebellum will headline the fourth annual Dustin J. Rucker says. “It’s a dream come true.” Details and download here. Wells Foundation Gift Of Music benefit concert for the W.O. Craig Morgan will embark on his ninth overseas military Smith Music School Feb. 18 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. entertainment run, the Not Alone Tour, for Stars For Stripes Details here. Jan. 27. Morgan will stage full-band concerts at five camps and The second annual WSIX/Nashville-presented Chords Of perform acoustic sets at various remote Forward Operating Bases Hope: The Clay Walker MS Benefit Concert will be staged in Iraq and Kuwait through Feb. 3. March 2 at Nashville’s Wildhorse Saloon. Proceeds will benefit Several artists including Jack Ingram, George Jones, Joe multiple sclerosis research through Walker’s Band Against MS Nichols and others have posed for portraits wearing army boots (BAMS). for the non-profit Boot Campaign. The army kicks are available “From A Table Away” singer Sunny Sweeney released through the campaign’s website, with proceeds benefiting several her self-titled, five-song EP on iTunes Tuesday (1/18). “Drink military charity initiatives. Details here. Myself Single,” “Amy,” “Staying’s Worse Than Leaving” and Savannah Jack are currently on their 2011 tour through Oct. “Helluva Heart” are also featured. Download here. 21. Complete schedule here. Tim McGraw is raffling off a limited-edition belt buckle The Nashville Alliance for Public Education, CMA in honor of his new scent Silver. The custom design features and the Nashville Symphony will celebrate the return of the a black guitar pick set in silver buckle with a rope-patterned Schermerhorn Symphony Center during Feb. 1’s Keep The Music edge. For every entry through Feb. 11, fragrance company Coty Playing All Stars Concert. Luke Bryan will host. will donate $1 to McGraw’s Neighbor’s Keeper Foundation. Gloriana, Steel Magnolia, the Bellamy Brothers, Troy Register and learn more here. Olsen, the JaneDear girls, Jason Jones, Brantley Gilbert and Walker Hayes have been added to Florence, AZ’s Country Thunder April 7-10. Full lineup here. The Week’s Top Stories “Stuck Like Glue” by Sugarland topped Marco Club Full coverage is available in the archives at www. Connection’s most-requested Country dance club songs for countryaircheck.com. 2010. Blake Shelton’s “All About Tonight,” Shelton and Trace • Citadel/Boise, ID OM and KIZN PD Rich Summers added Adkins’ “Hillbilly Bone,” Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” programming for sister KQFC following the departure of PD/ and Laura Bell Bundy’s “Giddy On Up” round out the top five.