• RAMP has confirmed that Entercom Denver has parted company with VP/Market Manager Amy Griesheimer. We have also confirmed that Miami-based Regional VP Doug Abernethy is temporarily taking command of the Denver group -- Hot AC KALC (Alice 105.9), Rhythmic KQKS (KS1075), Classic Hits KQMT (99.5 The Mountain), Oldies KEZW-AM (Cruisin' 1430) and KALC-HD2 (Comedy 103.1) -- while a search for a permanent Mile High Market Manager gets underway... and the clock ticks ever closer to the pending Entercom/CBS Radio merger.

• Flinn Broadcasting in Memphis has cleverly coaxed veteran radio management exec Terry Wood out of retirement and into his freshly painted corner office as the cluster's new Market Manager. Wood (pictured, snappy tux sold separately) is already well acquainted with the lay of the land in Elvis' adopted hometown, having formerly served as SVP for the CBS Radio (now Entercom) Memphis cluster. He also put in some quality time at Entercom AC WRVR (104.5 The River).

Fun Fact: This move creates a long overdue reunion between Wood and Flinn OM/PD Chris Taylor -- Terry Wood originally hired Taylor away from Flinn back in 2001 to program crosstown rival WMC-FM (FM 100). After a two-year run, Taylor spent two more years in Kansas City with KMXV and Star 102 before making his triumphant return to Flinn Memphis.

• Entercom Top 40 WZPL/Indianapolis is having the carpets cleaned ahead of the impending arrival of new MD/afternoon drive personality Dylan Salisbury (left), who currently holds pretty much the exact same position with iHeartMedia Top 40 KKDM (107.5 Kiss FM)/Des Moines, IA. Salisbury's earlier stops include KDWB/Minneapolis and KFRX/Lincoln, NE.

In making the official announcement of Salisbury's hire, Entercom Indy OM JR Ammons commented, "We talked to some really talented people for this opening, but Dylan stood out from the first time I heard his aircheck. His enthusiasm for radio is contagious, plus it doesn't hurt that every time I talked to him I felt like I was talking to a much, much, much younger version of me... and anyone who knows me, knows I love me some me. Dylan is really talented and is gonna be a star in this business; I'm really happy to get the chance to work with him." Salisbury's inaugural WZPL broadcast will be Monday, November 6. He replaces Zakk Babb, who left in August. 

Warner Music Group (WMG) has promoted Alfonso Perez-Soto to the newly created (and lengthily titled) position of Senior Vice President, Global Business Development and Chief Commercial Officer, Emerging Markets. Perez-Soto most recently served in the slighter shorter role of SVP, Business Development, Latin America, Spain and Emerging Markets. In this newly enhanced position, Perez-Soto (pictured) "will identify new business models and open distribution channels, as well as finding ways to drive additional revenue and enhancing key partner relationships. He will also lead the acceleration of WMG's presence and activity in emerging markets, particularly where there is unrealized potential for growth."

Perez-Soto will remain based in Miami and report to Chief Digital Officer Ole Obermann, who commented, "Alfonso is a tenacious champion of new technology who takes a truly entrepreneurial approach to helping artists build careers and unlocking greater value from the entertainment ecosystem. I'm grateful to Iñigo [Zabala, President, Warner Music Latin America] for his support of this move, the position is a natural extension of Alfonso's talents, and I know he will leave no stone unturned as we expand our global horizons and create new possibilities for our artists."

Earlier in his career, Perez-Soto held various senior positions at Telefonica, Universal Music Group in Latin America and Nokia.

• The legendary Diana Ross will be honored at the 2017 American Music Awards with the "American Music Award for Lifetime Achievement," in recognition of her remarkable career and her outstanding artistic contributions to the entertainment industry and popular culture. Ross will also grace the stage with a rare performance. "I have endless memories of all the years that I have appeared on the American Music Awards," says Ms. Ross. "It started with Dick Clark and The Caravan of Stars and American Bandstand. It was Dick Clark who said, 'Music is the soundtrack of our lives.' So true. I am so excited to be receiving this honorable award."

A seven-time AMA winner, Ms. Ross attended the very first show in 1974 and lead several show-stopping performances throughout the years -- including a star-studded performance of "We Are The World" in 1986. Ross hosted the show in 1986 and 1987 and was on hand in 2014 to present the first ever "Dick Clark Award for Excellence" to Taylor Swift. The 2017 American Music Awards will roll live from the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles on Sunday, November 19 at 8pm ET on ABC. [Photo from Twitter]

• Excitement continues to build at a frantic-yet-tasteful rate as the first round of performers were just announced for The 51st Annual CMA Awards, hosted for the 10th year by Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood, and airing live from Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on Wednesday, Nov. 8 from 8-11pm ET.

Get ready to enjoy special performances by CMA Awards nominees Garth Brooks, Brothers Osborne, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Old Dominion, Jon Pardi, Chris Stapleton, Thomas Rhett, and Ms. Underwood herself. 2017 Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee and 16-time CMA Awards winner Alan Jackson will also take center stage during Country Music's Biggest Night™. 

While the Tampa Bay area was spared a direct hit by Hurricane Irma, many local businesses were still greatly impacted by the recent storm. Some were left without power, lost inventory, or even had to close their doors for days. In an effort to help the community it serves, Cox Media Group announced the launch of its philanthropic initiative, Cox Media Group Cares Tampa Bay. With the generous support of sponsors, The Miggs and Swigg Radio Show, DeBartolo Family Foundation, Pepin Distributing Company and Great Bay Distributors, Cox Cares will help small businesses recover after Irma through marketing and promotional outreach.

Each Saturday between Oct. 21 and "Small Business Saturday" on Nov. 25, local companies will be featured on Cox Media Group radio stations. The businesses will receive free on-air, online and social media promotion throughout the week. The supporting station will also be on-site at each business location that Saturday. Cox Cares will provide assistance to more than 40 small businesses in the Tampa Bay area, and approximately $250,000 in promotional support.

"CMG understands local businesses are an important part of our communities," said Keith Lawless, VP/Market Manager for CMG Tampa. "The disruption from Hurricane Irma has greatly impacted these businesses. We are proud to help support them at a time when they need it most. With the help of our local sponsors, we are promoting Tampa Bay area businesses across all six of our CMG radio stations."

Interested business owners can apply for Cox Media Group Cares Tampa Bay online at cmgradiocares.com or through any of the Cox Media Group Tampa radio station websites. The deadline to apply is November 10, 2017

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) recently recognized the unparalleled success of The Weeknd's album Starboy (XO/Republic Records) as well as the other impressive achievements of his prolific career, notching 11 Platinum or multi-Platinum certified songs during the last five years.

Over the last year, The Weeknd is the only artist to earn a 2X multi-Platinum album that also includes four Platinum (or higher) songs. The "Starboy" single is 5X multi-Platinum, "I Feel It Coming" is 2X multi-Platinum and "Party Monster" and "Reminder" achieved Platinum status.

And as if that wasn't cool enough, The Weeknd also received recognition for more than 35 million RIAA Song Awards achieved in just five years.

Just where in the hell has Brian Rickman gone? About a year ago, Rickman left his position as OM for Townsquare Media's Tyler, TX market to be closer to family in Illinois. Since then, he's remained active in the radio world; operating his consulting firm and doing occasional fill-ins on talk stations in Illinois, Missouri and Indiana.

Beyond that, however, Rickman (left) has been focusing on his burgeoning writing career as a creepy SciFi/Fantasy/Horror author. His "Ascension" series (four books presently) has topped the Amazon charts for three straight years during the Halloween season and this year is no exception, with an added bonus -- Rickman can now add "sold the film rights of his series" to his resume! "Some kids in Hollywood decided to enter into a production deal to turn the books into film," he tells RAMP. "We don't know what that might be yet, but it's still kinda cool and I can buy some extra Christmas presents for the kids with this check."

In the meantime, Rickman is anxious to get back to a regular radio gig. His resume includes 10 years as VP of Programming for URBan Radio Broadcasting, and as an OM in markets from Muscle Shoals, AL to Middlesex, NJ. He also programmed WKZQ and WYAV/Myrtle Beach, SC, WZAT/Savannah, GA, WXQR/Greenville-New Bern-Jacksonville, NC and several more. Digital stuff? He's done that too. Now that you have fallen madly in like, perhaps you would like to speak with him? Oh, and he's cool with relocation, too. Resume and airchecks are readily available via brian.c.rickman@gmail.com.

Sun Broadcast Group's programs and services continue to grow -- thus far in the month of October, Sun has welcomed 16 new affiliates. The full list is below (listed by DMA):

• The Fitz Show: KTKU-FM and KGTW-FM/Juneau, AK, KBYB-FM/Shreveport, KHST-FM/Joplin-Pittsburg and WDNT-AM/Chattanooga.

• Country Fried Mix with DJ Sinister: KBYB-FM/Shreveport, KGTW-FM and KTKU-FM/Juneau.

• Nashville Minute with Fitz: KTKU-FM and KGTW-FM/Juneau and KBYB-FM/Shreveport, KHST-FM/Joplin-Pittsburg, KKDT-FM/Wichita-Hutchinson and KBIK-FM/Tulsa.

• Little Steven's Underground Garage: KFXS-FM/Rapid City, SD & DownloadHD: WDNT-AM/Chattanooga.

Gord Downie, the frontman for seminal Canadian band Tragically Hip, has died at the age of 53. As the CBC reports, Downie had been battling an aggressive and incurable form of brain cancer called glioblastoma, which was discovered after he suffered a seizure in December 2015. Downie died Tuesday night, surrounded by his children and family, according to a statement from the Downie family, posted on the band's website.

"Gord knew this day was coming -- his response was to spend this precious time as he always had -- making music, making memories and expressing deep gratitude to his family and friends for a life well lived, often sealing it with a kiss... on the lips," the statement said.

Canadians learned of Downie's illness on May 24 last year — the same day the rest of the rock group, Paul Langlois, Rob Baker, Gord Sinclair and Johnny Fay, announced that the Kingston, Ont.-based band would head out on a final summer tour "for Gord, and for all of us." The final Tragically Hip concert was held in Kingston on August 20 and was broadcast by CBC.

The Hip, as the band is often referred to, won 16 Juno awards (the most of any band), along with a bunch of other honors, including the Order of Canada. The group also has a Canadian Music Hall of Fame induction, a Governor General's Performing Arts Award, an honorary fellowship with the Royal Conservatory of Music and a star on Canada's Walk of Fame. The Hip even earned its own postage stamp and has a street named after it -- Tragically Hip Way, in Kingston, Ontario.