April 18, 2024 News@CountryAircheck.com

Clare Air: Binnie Media Dir./Country Programming Chris Clare is leaving to return to Hoxeng Trust WYCT/Pensacola for afternoons in the next few weeks. He fills the vacancy left by the departure of Gregory "Big Moose" Juszczyk (CAT 12/13/23). Clare re-joined Binnie in 2021 for oversight of all its “Wolf” properties, including WTHT/Portland, ME, where he was based (CAT 9/29/21). He previously programmed WTHT from 2016-2017. In additon to an eight-year stint at WYCT, his background includes time at Cincinnati stations WNNF and WYGY; and jobs in New Orleans, Denver and Indianapolis. WYCT OM Kevin King praises Clare's "wealth of experience," telling Country Aircheck, "We're thrilled to have him back."

The Waugh I Talk: “I'm forever grateful to (Big Loud partners) Craig (Wiseman), Seth (England), and Joey (Moi) for putting their trust in me, and to my girl Stacy (Blythe, SVP/Radio Promotion) for kicking down every door just to grab my hand and walk me through it with her," says outgoing VP/Radio Promotion Ali Matkosky, whose last day with the label is May 14. As announced this morning via Breaking News, succeeding Matkosky beginning May 1 is Dir./National Promotion Tyler Waugh.

Matkosky is joining her ... well, relatives (husband Jesse and father-in-law Dennis) ... at their Relative Music Group in an unspecified role this summer. She joined the label in 2018 (CAT 7/10/18) and rose to her most recent position in 2021 (CAT 7/22/21); reach her here through May 14. Waugh was also promoted in 2021 (CAT 7/22/21); prior stops include 1608, Blaster, Streamsound, Arista, RCA, Roadrunner and BMG Distribution. Reach him here.

For Room The Bell Tolls: Tape Room Music Mgr./A&R Caroline Hodson has been promoted to Dir./A&R. She joined the company as an intern in 2020, and was hired as Mgr./Catalog in 2021 (CAT 5/10/21). Reach Hodson here.

Senior Year: CMA Dir./Integrated Marketing Michelle Kirk and Dir./Marketing Mary Overend have both been elevated to Senior Directors. "Beyond a broad knowledge base of marketing, their expertise across the broadcast and digital landscapes specifically allows CMA to continually expand our fan engagement and brand footprint, further develop our partnership opportunities and ultimately grow all categories of our audience,” says SVP/Marketing, Content & Communications Strategy Kelly Striewski. Kirk re-joined the CMA in 2019 (CAT 1/7/19) following time with WME; Overend joined in 2015 from Carters/OshKosh B'Gosh (CAT 6/8/15). Reach Kirk here and Overend here.

On A Mission: The Nashville Rescue Mission has dedicated its new, 73,000 square foot women and children's campus as the Linda & Mike Curb Women's Center, thanks to a donation from Curb Chairman Mike Curb and his wife, Linda. The new building will provide shelter to more than 300 women and children each night, and serve more than 650 meals daily. The Mission's facility for men has also been re-branded as the Linda & Mike Curb Men's Center. Both buildings are in downtown Nashville.

Stories Of The Week: Search for news and people in the archives at countryaircheck.com.

Check out this year's nominees in Country Aircheck’s ACM Voter’s Guide.
Margaret Comeaux offered a BTS look at the CMT Music Awards, and the Luke Combs tour open and value of radio personalities were discussed in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Amber Banda was named afternoon host at KHEY/El Paso.
KKBQ/Houston was recognized as one of the 2024 Crystal Radio Awards honorees.
Monument's Casey Thomas was upped to VP/Marketing & Commercial Partnerships and Ansley Neeley to Mgr./Marketing & Creative.
Amanda Valentine joined WNNF/Cincinnati as afternoon host.
Chronicle: John Hart.

ICYMI: Jimmy Kimmel Live put Chris Stapleton’s talent to the test by writing a song and putting the lyrics (which he had never seen before) on cue cards and having him sing it on the fly in “Wing It & Sing It” with a special appearance from John Stamos.

Chris Young will headline Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th in downtown Nashville.

Artists including Ashley McBryde, Wynonna, Hailey Whitters and Sara Evans will participate in Walkin' After Midnight: The Music of Patsy Cline April 22 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium; tickets here.

Life Note: Longtime Eli Young Band crew member Elias "Chief" Gonzales has exhausted treatment in his battle with Follicular Lymphatic cancer. "He has been part of our road family and crew since the very early days, since before we had enough people to call it a 'crew,'" the band says on social media. "He and his family need our help to make sure that his time left on this earth is not spent worrying about the financial side of this thing and what comes next for his family. Anything helps." The band has set up a GoFundMe account here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for April 17, according to Mediabase 24/7.

SAM HUNT/Outskirts (MCA) 4926 points
TYLER HUBBARD/Back Then Right Now (EMI Nashville) 3896 points
JORDAN DAVIS/Tucson Too Late (MCA) 3816 points
SCOTTY MCCREERY/Cab In A Solo (Triple Tigers) 3452 points
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Where It Ends (Elektra/Warner/WEA) 3227 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for April 14-17 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

SAM HUNT/Outskirts (MCA) +2582 points
JELLY ROLL/Halfway To Hell (BMG/Stoney Creek) +1510 points
TYLER HUBBARD/Back Then Right Now (EMI Nashville) +1148 points
ASHLEY COOKE/Your Place (Back Blocks/Big Loud) +1094 points
JASON ALDEAN/Let Your Boys Be Country (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +1025 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (4/19): Matt Stell, Bekka Bramlett, Tenille Arts, Allen Mitchell, Jackie Stevens.

Tube Check Tomorrow (4/19): Anne Wilson, Today (NBC).

NAB In A Solo: The Broadcasters Foundation of America's Leadership Award honorees Mike McVay, Kathleen Kirby, Don Bouloukos, Frank Comerford, John Rouse and Traug Keller (back, l-r) and Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting recipient Erica Farber (front) are honored at the NAB Show in Las Vegas.

Thank U, X: Stone Country Record's Annie Bosko with the SiriusXM/Pandora team. Pictured (l-r) are Kathleen Shea, Bosko, Bekah Digby and "Trapper" John Morris.

Lexi Pro: Valory's Justin Moore with iHeartMedia/Kentucky-West Virginia's Rachel Elliot at the Lexington stop of Cody Johnson's The Leather Tour.

"Coal" Story, Bro: Big Loud Texas/Mercury's Dylan Gossett in Houston. Pictured (l-r) are KILT's Nick Russo, KKBQ's Lauren "Lo" Sessions, Gossett and the label's Kelley Bradshaw.

Mix & Shingle: The sixth season of BMI's Rooftop On The Row kicks off with Blue Jean Baby's Colbie Caillat and Red Street's Ryan Larkins (inset). Pictured (l-r) are BMI's Josh Tomlinson, Nina Carter, Leslie Roberts and Clay Bradley, Caillat and BMI's MaryAnn Keen, Mason Hunter, Claire Dodelin and Shannon Sanders.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Josh Melton signs with Curb | Word Music Publishing. Pictured (l-r) are Victory Entertainment’s Chris Perkins, Curb's Colt Murski, Melton and Curb’s Sarah Schumacher and Calista Miller.