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March 2, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Leap Frog: KFRG/Riverside, CA topped the radio nominees for the 61st Academy of Country Music Awards with three nods, including competing entries in the Large Market Personality category, as reported earlier today (3/2) via Breaking News. KFRG PD Heather Froglear and Skyview Networks' Bryan "B-Dub" Washington earned two nominations each. Stations earning two apiece are KILT/Houston, KSCS/Dallas, WBEE/Rochester, WUBE/Cincinnati and WCKK/Choctaw, MS. Winners will be announced at CRS 2026 (March 18-20) and honored around the May 17 awards show at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Logan's Run: Former UMG/Nashville Dir./Marketing & Project Mgmt. Alyssa Logan has joined Sony's Santa Anna Records as Dir./Marketing in Nashville. Logan departed UMGN (now MCA) amid a company restructuring last summer (CAT 6/11/25). Prior to UMG, she did A&R and project management at Vere Music and artist relations and day-to-day management at Copperline Music Group. Reach her here.

Outpost Office: As announced via Breaking News, former WEA National Dir. Stephanie Hagerty has joined the Nashville-based Atlantic Outpost as SVP/Country Airplay. Co-Presidents Jeff Levin and Ian Cripps launched the imprint last year (CAT 7/25/25) and signed the Sturgill Simpson-fronted Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds last month (2/13). Hagerty exited WEA at the beginning of 2025 (CAT 1/15/2025); reach her here.

It's Gonna Be May: The Lerner Theatre Interim GM Sherry May has officially joined Conway Entertainment Group as Talent Buyer/Venue Consultant, supporting the launch and expansion of the firm’s CEG Live consulting division. "With her extensive experience in the industry and proven track record of optimizing venue operations and enhancing the audience experiences, Sherry brings a wealth of knowledge," says CEO Tony Conway. Reach May here.

BMLG's Welch Departs: BMLG Sr. Mgr./Streaming Anna Scott Welch exited in the company's recent restructuring. Welch joined in 2021, rising to her most recent role three years ago (CAT 3/7/2023). She's seeking her next opportunity and can be reached here.

Doc Departs: Digital station Kickin Kountry 101 morning host Michael “Doc” Studard has departed. Studard joined the outlet last fall (CAT 11/5/25) and previously was a personality at Rock WXMX/Memphis. He continues to operate digital metal station Riot Signal Radio and PR/artist services company Stray Dog Entertainment. Kickin Kountry was launched in 2023 (CAT 9/6/23). A successor has not yet been hired.

Burke At Work: Former UMG/Nashville Mgr./A&R Sarah Marie Burke has launched Sarmar Management in partnership with music technology company Veva Sound. In her new role, Burke oversees recording projects from pre-production through final delivery, managing schedules, budgets, booking, union coordination and metadata collection, as well as providing live show production management. Burke departed UMGN (now MCA) in a round of dowsizing last year (CAT 6/11/25). Reach her here; company website here.

BMI Guy: Former Asurion SVP/Human Resources John Powenski has joined BMI as SVP & Chief Human Resources Officer, based in Nashville. Previous stops include Capital One and Frito-Lay PepsiCo.

Reve-News: iHeartMedia reported Q4 revenue of $1.13 billion, up 0.8% from the prior year's $1.12 billion. Adjusted EBITDA was off 10.5% to $220m. Broadcast radio revenue was $470m (-4.8%), digital revenue (excluding podcasting) was $213m (+6.8%) and podcast revenue was $173.7m (+24.5%). For the full year of 2025, revenue was $3.87 billion, up slightly from 2024's $3.85b. Broadcast revenue was $1.63b, down 5.4% year-to-year; digital was up 7.0% to $765.7 and podcast revenue increased 25.6% to $563.7. "Our podcast momentum continues, growing 24.5% compared to prior year, above our guidance of ‘up in the mid-teens,’ and we have the number one audience in podcasting as measured by both Podtrac and Triton," says Chairman/CEO Bob Pittman. "We also see some of our recent announcements as validation of the power of broadcast radio, with companies like Netflix and TikTok coming to partner with us and our broadcast radio assets." See full results here.

Fresh Men: JVC Boadcasting has launched the syndicated County Fresh Radio, hosted by VP/Country Programming Phathead and WJVC/Nassau midday personality Murphdawg. The weekly, two-hour show is designed to spotlight new releases from established country stars and emerging artists. Initial affiliates are the company's WJVC, WXUS/Ocala, FL; WYGC/Gainesville, FL; WHWY/Fort Walton Beach, FL; and WRXB/Panama City Beach, FL; and Hall Communications' WCTY/New London, CT. Reach Phathead here.

Tour Support: Tucker Wetmore has extended The Brunette World Tour with 17 new dates including stops in Los Angeles (8/23) and Chicago (9/18). He'll be joined by Maddox Batson, William Beckmann, George Birge, Jacob Hackworth, Braxton Keith and Stella Lefty on select dates. Tickets go on sale Friday (3/6) here, and a portion will go to Face the Fight, supporting suicide prevention and mental health treatment for veterans.

Drake Milligan has added European dates to his Tumbleweed World Tour, which kicked off in November. These new stops include Germany, Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and the UK; schedule here.

Festive All: Jordan Davis has been added as a headliner for the fourth annual Voices of America Country Music Fest at Voice of America MetroPark in West Chester, OH Aug. 6-9, joining the previously announced Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton and Rascal Flatts (CAT 1/30). Other newly-added performers are LeAnn Rimes, Scotty McCreery, Tyler Hubbard, Lee Brice, Dustin Lynch, Rodney Atkins, Ashley Cooke and Easton Corbin. Tickets here.

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The Tailgate N' Tallboys festival at McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL has expanded to a fourth day with The Red Clay Strays as a headliner and Muscadine Bloodline and Zach John King among the support acts. It's now scheduled for June 18-21. See the previously reported lineup here. Tickets here.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Ella Gibson signed with G Major Mgmt. Currently studying songwriting at Belmont, she recently won the university's Spring Songwriter’s Showcase.

Crib Note: Thomas Rhett and wife Lauren Akins recently welcomed their fifth child and first son, Brave Elijah Akins. Lauren shared on Instagram that her husband helped deliver the nearly 10-pound baby, and "was the first one to see and tearfully, mixed with a bit of shock, announce to us all in the room 'It’s a boy.'"

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending Feb. 28, according to Mediabase.

MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud)
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers)
SHABOOZEY & JELLY ROLL/Amen (Empire/Magnolia/Stoney Creek)
JUSTIN MOORE/Time's Ticking (Blue Highway)
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (Blue Highway/MCA)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for March 1, compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase.

JASON ALDEAN/Don't Tell On Me (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +444 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +366 points
BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN) +304 points
KELSEA BALLERINI/Baggage (Black River) +295 points
ZACH JOHN KING/Get To Drinkin' (SMN) +282 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (3/3): John Carter Cash, Brett Warren (Warren Brothers), Bob DiPiero, Kris Butts, Ashley Bourque, Chuck Swaney, Jarrod Holley.

McFLY: KFLY/Eugene, OR's Gerry "G-Man" Snyder (l) and Tab Davis lead the station to another $91,915 raised for St. Jude kids.

Heat And Greet: Columbia's Megan Moroney (c) talks Cloud 9 with Country Heat Weekly's Kelly Sutton (l) and Amber Anderson.

Catattoos Tour: BBRMG's Brantley Gilbert (r) with WYCT/Pensacola's Brent Lane.

Signage: BBRMG's Mary Kutter signs with WME. Pictured (l-r) are OEG's Marc Oswald, WME's Jon Folk and Joey Lee, the label's Adrian Michaels, WME's Lance Roberts, Kutter, WME's Becky Gardenhire, OEG's Charlie Pennachio, WME's Laura Williams and OEG's Jacob Summers.

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