April 3, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Garner Varner: Saga/Gainesville-Ocala, FL Dir./Sales Lisa Varner has been promoted to VP/GM in the wake of the retirement of President/GM Howard Tuuri. Concurrently, Gray Media Dir./New Business Tonya Asher has joined as Dir./Sales for the cluster, which includes Country WOGK. Varner has been with Saga for more than nine years, rising to her most recent position in 2022; congratulate her here.

More Audacy Cuts: KKWF/Seattle morning host and KMLE/Phoenix afternoon host Matt McAllister, WDSY/Pittsburgh midday host Maria D'Antonio and WBEE/Rochester morning team member Hope Breen are among those affected by this week's Audacy downsizing (CAT 4/1). McAllister did mornings on KNIX/Phoenix for nine years before joining KKWF in 2017 (CAT 9/26/17). He and his The Morning Wolfpack co-hosts, Gabe Mercer and “Captain Ron” Koons, added afternoons at sister KMLE in 2024 (CAT 10/28/24). Before KNIX, McAllister worked at Rock KTYD/Santa Barbara, CA. See McAllister's video about being laid off here.

A 2026 ACM Radio Award nominee for Major Market Personality, D'Antonio joined the station in 2015, shifting from mornings to middays in 2023 (CAT 4/27/23). She shared on social media, "I never imagined that not only would I get to work as a radio DJ in my hometown for (three months shy of) 15 years, but that I'd get to work alongside some of my heroes ... I'll be eternally grateful for this chapter."

Breen, also a 2026 ACM Radio Award nominee, joined The Bee Morning Coffee Club as producer in 2023 (CAT 10/31/23) after she appeared as an on-air guest promoting local tourism. See her social media post about her termination here.

Iowa Stations Shut Down: Connoisseur Media Classic Country KMCD & Adult Hits KKFD/Fairfield, IA went dark March 31. A statement on the stations' websites reads, "From the early morning commutes to the late-night drives, it has been our honor to be your local radio station." Steve Smith, who had been with KCMD since 1991, shared video of himself on Facebook shutting it down after 67 years on the air.

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

First-timers take on CRS with fresh eyes in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Audacy switched from MMs to 10 Regional VPs. (4/2)
Ann Marie Licata was named CEO of iHeartMedia's Multiplatform Group. (4/2)
JB Hager, Sandy McIlree and Tricia McIlree joined KVET/Austin in mornings. (4/1)
KILT/Houston morning hosts Tucker "Frito" Young and Katy Dempsey departed. (3/31)
Audacy's Debbie Kenyon was promoted to Regional Pres. for the company's Central U.S. markets. (3/30)
Adam Star was named Beasley/Augusta, GA PD. (3/30)

Golden Milestone: Conclave organizers will host an online event April 17 at 1pm CT marking the 50th anniversary of the gathering to "reflect on The Conclave’s legacy, share stories from its rich history, and spotlight the impact it has had on generations of broadcasters." The final Conclave radio convention will be held Sept. 15-17 in Bloomington, MN (CAT 12/18/25). Sign up for the online event here. Register and book rooms for the in-person event here.

Charity Case: The Broadcasters Foundation of America (BFOA) received a Platinum Seal of Transparency from Candid and a 100% Give With Confidence Score and four-star rating from Charity Navigator. The independent organizations track commitment to accountability and impact for 501(c)(3) charities.

Crib Note: The Red Clay Strays frontman Brandon Coleman and his wife, Macie Coleman, revealed yesterday (4/3) that they welcomed daughter Vivian Jane Coleman two months ago, with Macie calling her "the best thing to ever happen to us" on social media.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for April 2, according to Mediabase.

JUSTIN MOORE/Time's Ticking (Blue Highway) 4613 points
LUKE COMBS/Sleepless In A Hotel Room (Columbia) 4060 points
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (Blue Highway/MCA) 3612 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 3592 points
DYLAN SCOTT/What He'll Never Have (Curb) 3576 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for March 29-April 2, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

JUSTIN MOORE/Time's Ticking (Blue Highway) +3679 points
LUKE COMBS/Sleepless In A Hotel Room (Columbia) +2960 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Be Her (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +2909 points
LUKE BRYAN/Country And She Knows It (MCA) +2603 points
CHRIS JANSON/Me & A Beer (Harpeth 60/WMN) +1495 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (4/4): Clay Davidson, Josh McSwain (Parmalee), Steve Gatlin, Clive Davis, Bob McDill, Tommy Laird, Kevin Marcy, Jeff Nelson, Mike O’Malley, Dan E. Zuko, Kerry Wolfe, Slam Duncan, the late Norro Wilson.

Sunday's Birthdays (4/5): Mike Eli (Eli Young Band), Pat Green, Tommy Cash, Jenny Law, Kelley Bradshaw, Nancy Ryan, Jeff Skaggs, Brian Morelli, Zack Massey, the late Cowboy Jack Clement, the late Troy Gentry (Montgomery Gentry).

Monday's Birthdays (4/6): Dave Walton, the late Merle Haggard.

6 Pack: Columbia's Megan Moroney celebrates No. 1 “6 Months Later" at SESAC in Nashville Thursday (4/3). Pictured (l-r) are the label's Lauren Kilgore and Meghan Kehoe, producer Kristian Bush, the label's Caryl Atwood, writer Ben Williams, the label's Ken Robold and Mallory Michaels, Moroney, the label's Ali O’Connell, writer David "Messy" Mescon, the label's Jansen Morgan and Alaina Vehec, writer Rob Hatch, Sony's Taylor Lindsey, manager Hayley Corbett and the label's Dennis Reese.

Lone Start: Curb's Harper Grace (c) kicks off her radio tour with KILT/Houston's Chris Huff, Bruce Logan and Nick Russo and the label's Bailey White (l-r).

Ride Or Dye: Red Street's Taylor Austin Dye (c) with WUBE/Cincinnati's Grover Collins and the label's Sally Allgeier.

Meet & Clete: Flatland Cavalry's Cleto (r) with SiriusXM The Highway's Cody Alan.

Rose Buds: Blue Highway's Carly Pearce receives the Song Suffragettes Yellow Rose of Inspiration at the organization's 12th anniversary event. Pictured (back, l-r) are Todd Cassetty, Ashley Anne, Belle Frantz, Abby Anderson, Pearce, Elizabeth Nichols, Kelly Sutton, Alison Nichols and Maddie Lenhart; (front, l-r) Chanel Yates, Nanseera, Abbey Rowe and Abbie Callahan.