February 9, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Breaking News: Longtime Valory Pres. George Briner has retired, effective today (2/9), after more than 18 years with the company and more than 40 in country music. He says, "What a ride ... since I stepped into the country music world in 1984 working as the Promotion Dir. at KZLA/Los Angeles, to this day as I step away from my role as [Valory] President ... I truly have loved every minute! From KZLA, Warner Bros., Giant Records, Magnatone, Curb Universal, DreamWorks, MCA, BNA and the last 18 years with Valory." Adds BMLG Founder/Chairman/CEO Scott Borchetta, "It has been my true honor and pleasure to fight these battles, and win these wars and reach the top of the mountain with [George] so many times ... He’s led the charge and truly became one of the GOATs. Country music is better because of George Briner.” No word on plans for the position. Reach Briner here.

Sioux Per Duper: Here are select Nielsen Audio Fall 2025 (9/18-12/10) two-book per year diary ratings for subscribing stations compared with their last books (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025). Ranks (in parentheses) are also among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Bismarck, ND (Market 229)	KQDY iHeartMedia 5.3 (7t) - 7.0 (3t) - 7.7 (3t) Largest share since Spring 2023. KUSB Townsquare 5.3 (7t) - 4.0 (8t) - 3.8 (8t) KBMR-AM iHeartMedia Cl. Country 6.3 (5t) - 4.0 (8t) - 2.9 (10t)
Jackson, TN (241)	WOGY Forever 7.5 (3) - 9.6 (2t) - 9.3 (3) WWYN Thomas 3.8 (6t) - 2.7 (7t) - 2.7 (7t)
San Angelo, TX (235)	KKCN Townsquare 2.3 (7t) - 2.4 (8t) - 3.9 (4t) KGKL Townsquare 5.7 (3) - 4.8 (4) - 2.6 (6t) KDCD Four R 2.3 (7t) - 2.4 (8t) - N/A Did not subscribe this survey.
Sioux City, IA (233)	KSUX Powell 8.6 (2t) - 8.7 (2t) - 10.8 (1t) Largest share since Fall 2021. KKYY Powell Classic Country 4.8 (9) - 3.3 (10) - 3.6 (10)
Sioux Falls, SD (168)	KTWB Midwest 11.9 (1) - 13.0 (1) - 13.5 (1) Largest share since Fall 2021. KIKN Townsquare 3.5 (10) - 3.2 (9) - 4.3 (8) Largest share since Spring 2001. KXRB Townsquare Cl. Country 4.4 (9) - 4.2 (7t) - 2.9 (10)

Put It On My Bill: iHeartMedia/Spokane SVPP Bill Stewart is transitioning to the company's Tucson cluster, which includes Country KHUD. He retains his on-air roles at Classic Rock KKZK/Spokane and AC KYMG/Anchorage, and reports to Southwest Area SVPP Tony Manero. "[Bill's] leadership and programming vision will continue to elevate our stations and deliver compelling content that reflects the energy, culture and voice of Tucson," says Southwest Area Pres. Steve Earnhart. The SVPP Tucson position has been vacant since Nick Bruns' departure in December (CAT 12/8/25). Reach Stewart here.

Great Dane: Daschent's Dane Schmidt has joined ERN's Cadillac Music as Sr. Dir./A&R. Concurrently, Jordan Marcus has been hired as Creative Coord./Exec. Asst. and Jude Warren as A&R/Exec. Asst. Schmidt departed his role as Sony Music Publishing/Nashville Sr. Dir./Creative to launch Daschent in 2022 (CAT 6/3/22), and was VP/Creative at Tree Vibez Music prior to Sony. Marcus previously worked in live event production at Amazon. Warren interned for King Pen Music and Republic Records. ERN's Cadillac Music was founded by Ernest in partnership with Big Loud Publishing in 2023 (CAT 1/9/23).

Health Check: Former Collective Artist Management GM Lindsay Hayes has joined Nashville based Music Health Alliance (MHA) as VP/Development. Prior to Collective, Hayes was Dir./Marketing at Red Light Management. She has spent the last 10 years producing MHA's annual benefit as a volunteer.

MHA has also promoted six staffers: Britton Barnette to Sr. Advocate Coord.; Erin Lancaster to Dir./Group Health; Sophie Badgett to Sr. Mgr./Advocacy & Insurance, Dental Coordination; Steven Crowder to Dir./Advocacy & Insurance, Business Management Relations; Suzanne Berg to Dir./Advocacy & Insurance, Artist Management Relations; and Zacquia McKinley to Dir./Advocacy & Insurance.

Gig Alerts: SummitMedia/Birmingham is seeking a full-time on-air talent and Mgr./Promotions for the cluster, which includes WZZK. At least two years of on-air experience is preferred. Details and application portal here.

Red Street Records has an opening for a Coord./Digital & Streaming in Nashville. Apply via LinkedIn here.

I Walk The Deadline: The final day to register online for CRS 2026 is Feb. 18; register here. After that, registration will be available exclusively on-site in Nashville at an increased rate of $799. This is also the final week to secure a room at the Omni Nashville; availability at the host hotel will close Friday (2/13). CRS 2026 takes place March 18-20 in Nashville.

Suite Life: McVay Media's Mike McVay has joined syndicator SuiteRadio as a strategic advisor with the role of helping "popularize the company’s full line of original broadcast programming." SuiteRadio COO Pat Fant says, “Mike will be key to our rolling out these strong new daypart shows that cross into several new format lines.”

Tour Support: Vince Gill has added 13 dates to his previously announced 50 Years From Home Tour, launching June 18 in Orlando (CAT 1/12). New cities include Kansas City, Memphis, Tulsa, St. Louis and Cincinnati. Ticket info here.

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Ian Munsick has added 10 dates to his The Eagle Flies Free Tour, which kicks off Feb. 13 in Charlotte with support from Kenny Whitmire, Lanie Gardner, Ben Haggard, Tyler Nance, Jake Worthington and The Kruse Brothers on select dates (CAT 10/6/25). Tickets and cities here.

Bits & Pieces: Instead of spending millions on a Super Bowl ad, Audacy WUSY/Chattanooga afternoon personalities Greg "StyckMan" Owens and Melissa "Mo" Wagner invested in ... tacos. Watch their commercial here.

Chronicle: Radio veteran and former WWKA/Orlando morning host Doc Holliday (née Jeffrey Duncan) died Feb. 6 at the age of 64. He worked at WWKA from 2007-2010 following a stint in afternoons, and then mornings at crosstown Top 40 WXXL. Prior radio jobs include WOND and WMGM/Atlantic City; WAEB/Allentown PA; WEGX/Philadelphia; and WNVZ/Norfolk, VA. No word on services, but the family requests donations in his memory to the Colorectal Cancer Alliance.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending Feb. 7, according to Mediabase 24/7.

HUDSON WESTBROOK/House Again (River House/Warner/WAR)
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers)
JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow)
MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud)
SHABOOZEY & JELLY ROLL/Amen (Empire/Magnolia/Stoney Creek)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Feb. 8, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +742 points
LUKE COMBS/Sleepless In A Hotel Room (Columbia) +410 points
GEORGE BIRGE f/LUKE BRYAN/Ride, Ride, Ride (Records Nashville/MCA) +378 points
MEGAN MORONEY/Beautiful Things (Col. NY/Columbia) +374 points
DYLAN SCOTT/What He'll Never Have (Curb) +364 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (2/10): Craig Campbell (artist), Lionel Cartwright, Jeremy Baxter (Carolina Rain), Chris Palmer, Misti Filipiak, Robin Gordon, Scott Heuerman, Cindy Finch, Shauna Moseley, Ray Vaughn, Andy Elliott, Halie Hampton Mosley, Dave Dunsavage.

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I Like the SoundScan Of That: Big Machine's Rascal Flatts commemorate more than 10 million album equivalents at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. Pictured (l-r) are Maverick's Brian Wolf, the label's Scott Borchetta, the trio's Gary LeVox, Joe Don Rooney and Jay DeMarcus, and Maverick's Clarence Spalding.

Prime Number: WNCY/Appleton-Green Bay's Mike Dubord, Steve Davis, Hannah Damas, Natalie "Nat" Gross, Shawn Joseph and Randy "Shotgun" Shannon (l-r) celebrate the more than $436,000 raised during the station's St. Jude radiothon.

50 Shades Of Play: BBRMG's Jon Loba (r), JoJamie Hahr (middle) and Peter Strickland (l) surprise Broken Bow's Lee Adams and Layna Bunt with plaques celebrating their 50th No. 1 with the label.

Citizen Cain: Sony Music Nashville's Zach John King with the label's Anna Widmer (l) and KWEN's Karla Cantrell at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Tyler Booth signs with Jamey Johnson’s Big Gassed Records/Average Joes Entertainment and The Erv Woolsey Company. Pictured (standing, l-r) are AJE's Forrest Latta and Andrew Davis and EWC's Clinton Woolsey and Allen Mitchell; (sitting, l-r) Booth and Johnson.

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