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October 28, 2024 News@CountryAircheck.com

Prodigal Sun: Audacy KKWF/Seattle's The Morning Wolfpack (Matt McAllister, Gabe Mercer and “Captain Ron” Koons) add afternoons at sister KMLE/Phoenix effective today (10/28). They succeed RVP/Country and KMLE/KKWF Brand Mgr. Drew Bland (on-air as Drew Blando), who shifts to the 10 am-noon slot at KMLE for now. The move marks a return to the market for McAllister, who previously did mornings on crosstown KNIX for nine years before joining KKWF in 2017 (CAT 9/26/17). Mercer has been hosting middays at KMLE since 2022, and joined The Morning Wolfpack that same year (CAT 9/1/22). Koons joined KKWF as morning show producer in 2022 after a three-year stint in mornings at KUKN/Kelso, WA (CAT 8/17/22). Reach Mercer here and Koons here. Watch McAllister poke some fun at himself and his return to the market here.

The Oriel's Wasilauski Leaves: The Oriel Company's Nashville Dir./Operations Kelli Wasilauski has exited. Her last day was today (10/28). She joined the company last year from Adkins Publicity; reach her here. No word on plans for the position.

Heads Carolina: Luke Combs and Eric Church's Oct. 26 Concert For Carolina at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte raised more than $24.5 million for Hurricane Helene relief efforts in the state. Performers also included Keith Urban, Bailey Zimmerman Scotty McCreery, Chase Rice and Parmalee. Proceeds will be split between Church’s Chief Cares Foundation and organizations chosen by Combs, including Samaritan’s Purse, Manna Food Bank and Second Harvest Food Bank. Fundraising efforts continue with a silent auction of signed music and sports memorabilia, experiences, concert and game tickets now online here.

Bluegrass Greats: Programmer/personality Karl Shannon was posthumously inducted into the Kentucky Music Hall of Fame Oct. 26. He was one of a dozen Class of 2024 inductees, which included artists Sturgill Simpson and Gary Stewart. Shannon worked on-air at Louisville Top 40s WAKY-AM and WKLO-AM, AC WHAS-AM and Country outlets WINN-AM and WAMZ. He then had a lengthy run in Lexington at WVLK, WLXX, WBUL and WLXO.

Mow Money, Mow Problems: Eagle KRMO-AM/Cassville, MO was knocked off the air Oct. 24 when the 226-foot tower for it and sister Adult Hits KKBL collapsed. According to the Lawrence County Record, Eagle co-owner Dewayne Gandy was mowing the tower site when the collapse occured; there was no evidence that the mowing was a cause, and the collapse is still under investigation. KRMO-AM, which normally operates with 2,500 watts, was returned to the air utilizing the nearby tower of sister News-Talk KSWM-AM.

Siriusly The Season: SiriusXM has launched 26 ad-free channels of holiday programming, including the return of Country Christmas. That channel will be available on the SiriusXM app Nov. 1 through Dec. 26 and on ch. 58 Dec. 4-26. New this year is Jimmy Fallon’s Holiday Seasoning Radio. That channel will also air the Jimmy Fallon’s 12 Days of Christmas special, consisting of a dozen genre-specific playlists from yacht rock to country. Fallon's channel is available on the app and on channel 17 from Nov. 1 through Dec. 27.

Maine Event: WPOR/Portland and WTHT/Portland celebrated wins at the Maine Association of Broadcasters' 2024 News & Creative Awards, presented Oct. 26. WPOR was named Station of the Year and was honored in the Best Social Media-Entertainment category. WTHT won Best Spot. See the full list of winners here.

Deadline To Enshrine: Today (10/28) is the final day to submit nominations for the Country Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2025. The Hall of Fame honors individuals who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Country radio industry, and have worked in radio for a minimum of 20 years, with at least 15 of those spent in Country. Honors are given in two categories: Radio (those who have worked behind the scenes in programming, management, sales, etc.) and On-Air Personality. Nominate candidates here.

Courtesy Of The Red, White & Green: The Big Dog Daddy Celebrity Classic golf tournament is looking for teams of four to participate Nov. 11 at Old Natchez Country Club in Franklin, TN; register here. The two-day event, which also includes an auction, dinner and live music Nov. 10, is raising money for the Toby Keith-founded OK Kids Korral.

Concord Shape: Independent music company Concord has closed a new series of $850 million in senior notes secured by music royalties from a pool of catalogs, including works recorded by The Beatles, Carrie Underwood, The Rolling Stones and others. The company says, "These issuances underscore Concord's ongoing effort to strategically grow and monetize its music assets and position the company as a consequential force in the music industry."

ICYMI: Brad Paisley sang the national anthem ahead of Game 1 between the New York Yankees vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers in the World Series.

Brantley Gilbert and Ashley Cooke performed “Over When We're Sober” on The Kelly Clarkson Show.

Drake White and wife Alex also joined The Kelly Clarkson Show to talk about his onstage stroke in 2019, recovery and how the family navigated infertility and welcomed son Hawk in 2023.

American Airlines is now offering a direct flight from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Brisbane Airport – its longest flight at nearly 16 hours. More here.

Chronicle: Veteran personality/programmer Ed Chandler passed away Oct. 28. He was 74. Starting in 1971, Chandler spent more than a decade in San Diego at KSON-AM & FM and KCBQ. After time at Transtar Country Network, he returned to his home state of Texas, with stops at KSCS and KPLX/Dallas, KBUC and KAJA/San Antonio, KASE/Austin and KILT/Houston. Chandler later spent time as OM for Radio Ranch/Kerrville, TX and KBEY/Marble Falls, TX, and also handled middays on SuiteRadio's "The Legend" format. He was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2017. No word on services.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending October 26, according to Mediabase 24/7.

KANE BROWN & MARSHMELLO/Miles On It (RCA)
JELLY ROLL/I Am Not Okay (BMG/Republic/Stoney Creek)
POST MALONE f/BLAKE SHELTON/Pour Me A Drink (Mercury/Republic/Big Loud)
MORGAN WALLEN/Lies Lies Lies (Big Loud)
PARMALEE/Gonna Love You (Stoney Creek)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for October 27 compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JELLY ROLL/I Am Not Okay (BMG/Republic/Stoney Creek) +432 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Love Somebody (Big Loud) +351 points
DYLAN MARLOWE & DYLAN SCOTT/Boys Back Home (Columbia/Curb) +288 points
ELLA LANGLEY & RILEY GREEN/You Look Like You Love Me (Sawgod/Nashville Harbor/Columbia) +284 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Lies Lies Lies (Big Loud) +277 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (10/29): Jordan Walker, Jules Wortman, Erin Creedon, John Foxx, Maddye Trew, the late Charlie Monk, the late Sonny Osborne (Osborne Brothers).

That's Texas: Warner/CoJo/WMN’s Cody Johnson in Houston. Pictured (l-r) are KKBQ's Travis Moon and Lauren "Lo" Sessions, Johnson, Country Aircheck's Chris Huff, KILT's Nick Russo and the label's Mark Niederhauser.

The Outlaw Side Of Meow: Nashville Harbor's Chris Janson with the Cat Country gang at the Pensacola Interstate Fair. Pictured (l-r) are WYCT's Brent Lane, Janson, WYCT's Mel McCrae and Captain Chris and the label's Liz Santana.

Speak Of The Devil: Warner/WAR's Tyler Braden celebrates the gold certification of "Devil You Know" at the Opry. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Justin Luffman, Why & How's Aaryn Cantu and Halie Hampton, Braden and the label's Stephanie Davenport and Mike Dupree.

I Am Not Okay: Stoney Creek's Jelly Roll performs for Apalachee High School students and faculty prior to his Atlanta show Saturday (10/26). A shooting at the school claimed the lives of two teachers and two students last month; local coverage here. Pictured (top) are Mr. Roll with WUBL's Angie Ward and Otis Maher; (bottom, l-r) WKHX's JJ Kincaid, WNGC/Athens, GA's Haley Mason and Adam Baum, and WUBL's Lucas Phelan and Dallas McCade and Ward.

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