March 19, 2024 News@CountryAircheck.com

Leading With Hart(man): Audacy/Chattanooga SVP/MM Nichole Hartman adds those duties for the company's Memphis cluster, including WLFP. She succeeds Dan Barron, who moved to the company's New Orleans cluster in the same capacity earlier this year (CAT 1/16). Hartman has overseen the Chattanooga cluster, which includes WUSY, since 2017, and previously was GSM for Cox Media Group in Jacksonville, FL.

Gear Up: As announced earlier via Breaking News, publishing vet Jake Gear has joined UMG/Nashville as VP/A&R. "With [Jake's] keen ear to the ground and unwavering dedication, I’m excited for the creativity he brings to the department, and I know he’ll be a huge asset to our roster," says EVP/A&R Chelsea Blythe. Gear joins UMGN from Hang Your Hat Music, where he served as EVP. Prior stops include Magic Mustang Music, Sea Gayle Music and BMG, as well as production credits with artists including Flatland Cavalry, Ben Chapman, Harper O’Neill and Hailey Whitters. Reach him here.

KJUG's Young Departs: Momentum KJUG/Visalia, CA morning host Marty Young has left the station after nine months. PD Rik McNeil is on the hunt for a new morning show in "the most liveable city in central California." McNeil adds, "We’re locally owned and operated by professionals who work and play hard here in the shadow of Yosemite, Sequoia, and Kings Canyon. This is a live, in-studio job, and we’re already scheduling interviews." Find the job posting here; send resume and audio to McNeil here.

Back Then Write Now: EMI Nashville's Tyler Hubbard has launched publishing company HAYLO Music, named after the initials of Hubbard's family and headed by GM Josh Saxe, whose prior stops include Round Hill and Endurance Music Group. Hubbard and Brian Kelley opened Tree Vibez Publishing in 2015 (CAT 4/29/15), with Leslie DiPiero joining as GM in (CAT 6/14/17). “It’s been an incredible ride working with Leslie, who helped me fall in love with music publishing and the songwriting community, and taught me a ton along the way," says Hubbard. "Community is super important to me, and I’m excited to work with Josh to build a culture where creatives can thrive." Reach Saxe here.

Pretty Cart: Parker McCollum and Friends: ACM Lifting Lives Live will take place at Topgolf The Colony (TX) May 15 ahead of the 59th ACM Awards. Tickets will be available to ACM Members, ACM A-List subscribers, ACM Awards ticket holders and Topgolf Friends and Family through a presale starting Thursday (3/21). Remaining tickets will be available Friday (3/22) here.

Tour Support: George Strait: The King at Kyle Field will take place June 15 with Parker McCollum and Catie Offerman; tickets here March 28.

The waitlist for Luke Combs' Bootleggers Bonfire Oct. 10-12 in Miramar Beach, FL is open here.

Carrie Underwood added a second show to her first performance in Hawaii July 19-20 at Honolulu’s Blaisdell Arena. Following the Hawaii resident presale, tickets will be available at the Blaisdell box office starting March 23.

Tex To See: Bailey Zimmerman, Jelly Roll, Keith Urban, Lainey Wilson and Sam Hunt join previously announced performer and host Kelsea Ballerini on the 2024 CMT Music Awards lineup. The show airs live from Austin, TX's Moody Center April 7 on CBS and Paramount+; general voting is open through April 1 here.

That Was Us: Kip Moore has departed the MCA Nashville roster after more than a dozen years and is working on a new album. Moore praised the label's "top notch team," singling out the promotion staff who "work tirelessly and don't get thanked enough" via social media. "I’ve been so lucky to have had the freedom through the years to do it my way," he said. "I’m not sure where I’ll end up (currently having those discussions), but in the meantime, doing a record completely independent for the first time in my career has been something I can’t put into words."

Auction Action: Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is hosting an auction of items from the collection of the late Bob Kingsley in honor of what would have been his 85th birthday. Items include gold and platinum plaques presented to Kingsley, show posters and other memorabilia. Separately, CRB is selling retro Kingsley-branded merchandise, including shirts, jackets and vests. Proceeds from both the auction and the merch sale benefit the Country Radio Hall of Fame, which inducted Kingsley in 1998. The auction is live through April 2; find it here. Find the merch sale here.

Not A Moment Too Soon: Industry vets Justin Case, Cris Lacy, Paula Eden and Gwen Foster discuss the growing challenge of elder care and its effects on career development and one's own well being. Plus, WFUS/Tampa's Ashley Morrison and Sarah Jacobs give us their thoughts on what to expect from Tim McGraw's newly launched Standing Room Only Tour. Read it all in Monday's Country Aircheck Weekly.

Bits & Pieces: The staff of Audacy KFRG/Riverside kicked into action after seeing video of a local 11-year old named Damian who started a taco stand to raise money for his birthday wish of going to Disneyland. The young man, who is also battling leukemia, was invited to the studios and surprised with tickets to the park. See the full story and reactions here.

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

New openings were added to the Country Aircheck Job Board.
Toby Keith, John Anderson and James Burton are the 2024 Country Music Hall of Fame inductees.
iHeart restructuring continued with cuts affecting Don Cristi, Chelsey Steinhauer, Austin James, "Uncle Sam" Eulenfield and Matt "Gilly" Gilcheck. (3/18)

ICYMI: HunterGirl performed “Ain’t About You” on NBC’s The Kelly Clarkson Show (3/18).

“I would see country-music acts wearing cowboy hats,” Ian Munsick says in his New Yorker profile. "Like, dude, you have never been on a horse before. Why are you wearing a cowboy hat?”

Luke Combs talks meeting and performing with Tracy Chapman, his first job running the go-kart track at Fun Depot and more on God's Country podcast.

“I didn’t want my kids seeing me drunk,” Larry Fleet tells People. “I used to get wild and throw down all the time. I'd say things and regret it the next day. So, I just got tired of that. I didn't want to be embarrassed. I wanted to be completely cognitive of what I was doing at all times."

The Neon Highway starring Rob Mayes, Beau Bridges, Lee Brice and Pam Tillis, with music by Dallas Davidson, is playing in select theaters after premiering at The Belcourt in Nashville.

Chronicle: Veteran broadcaster John Reiplinger passed March 14. He was 81. His broadcast career included seven years as VP/GM of then-Beasley Country WYNG/Evansville, IN before moving to TV management and then outside the broadcast industry entirely. Visitation will be held in Evansville March 22 and 23, with services following on the latter date. Details and full obituary here. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Annunciation Catholic Parish/Holy Spirit Church or Vanderburgh Humane Society here.

Moran Celebration Tonight: Reminder that the celebration of life for veteran record promoter Tom Moran is tonight (3/19) from 5:30-7:30pm at E3 Chophouse in Nashville (1628 21st Ave. South). No RSVP required. Moran, 70, passed last month while on a fly fishing trip (CAT 2/5).

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for March 18, according to Mediabase 24/7.

HARDY/Truck Bed (Big Loud) 5013 points
MORGAN WALLEN f/ERIC CHURCH/Man Made A Bar (Big Loud/EMI Nashville) 3985 points
PARKER MCCOLLUM/Burn It Down (MCA) 3676 points
THOMAS RHETT f/MORGAN WALLEN/Mamaw's House (Valory/Big Loud) 3577 points
CHAYCE BECKHAM/23 (Wheelhouse) 3413 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for March 17-18 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

HARDY/Truck Bed (Big Loud) +1683 points
CARLY PEARCE f/CHRIS STAPLETON/We Don't Fight Anymore (Big Machine) +844 points
SAM HUNT/Outskirts (MCA) +773 points
MORGAN WALLEN f/ERIC CHURCH/Man Made A Bar (Big Loud/EMI Nashville) +757 points
LAINEY WILSON/Wildflowers And Wild Horses (Broken Bow) +637 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (3/20): Lindsay Ell, “Ranger” Doug Green (Riders In The Sky), Nathan Chapman, Greg Frey, Rob Dalton, Ben Kline, John Crenshaw, Alan Young, Beville Dunkerley, Michelle Rodriguez, the late Jerry Reed.

Pick Pic: MCA's Parker McCollum (l) is presented the official Buck Owens guitar by KUZZ/Bakersfield's Kenn McCloud and Ness Heraldez at Boots In The Park.

You're With Me, Leather: Valory's Justin Moore at the Indianapolis stop of Cody Johnson's The Leather Tour. Pictured (l-r) are Audacy/Kansas City's JR Ammons and wife Susan, Andy and husband/WLHK's Sean Copeland, the label's Adam Burnes (in front), WLHK's Cara Denis, Moore and WFMS' Matt Malone and Brooks O’Brian.

Livestock And Local: True To The Song's Caroline Jones hosts radio and streaming partners before Zac Brown Band's Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo show. Pictured (l-r) are Red Light’s Jackson Ettinger, SiriusXM/Pandora's Johnny Chiang, 16camino's John Ettinger, KKBQ’s Travis Moon, Jones, KILT’s Nick Russo, 16camino’s Kellie LaJack and KILT's Sarah Frazier and daughter Reagan.

The Rain Event: EMI Nashville's Anne Wilson at the Toyota Oakdale Theatre in Wallingford, CT. Pictured (l-r) are WRNX/Springfield, MA’s Kevin Johnson, WWYZ/Hartford's Joey Brooks, Wilson, WWYZ's Amanda Jo and WCTY/Norwich, CT's Dave Elder.