September 8, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Strong Island: Audacy Dir./Activation and WXBK-HD2/New York afternoon host "Sabrina From Queens" Sergio and former Press Communications Classic Hits WWZY & WBHX/Monmouth, NJ afternoon host Cane Peterson have joined Connoisseur WWWF/Nassau for mornings as Cane + Sabrina effective Sept. 10. Sergio will also be APD (reach her here), assuming duties previously held by Kelly Ford, who departed for a new role in July (CAT 7/20). The pair succeed the syndicated Big D & Bubba, who had been the station's morning show since shortly after its launch in 2024 (CAT 9/4), and continue to be heard Saturday mornings. Sergio has been with Audacy/Entercom since 2018, moving from mornings at the former WNSH/New York to her most recent job in 2022 (CAT 1/21/22). Peterson had been with WWZY/WBHX since 2022, with a radio background that includes time at SirusXM and New York stations WNEW, WHTZ, WXRK and WNYL. He's also an actor, appearing as a love intereast for Carrie Bradshaw in a season 3 episode of Sex & The City.

Folk Melody: Independent label and music publishing company Melody Place has hired industry vets Bob Reeves as Head/Promotion & Commercial Partnerships and Liz Kiley as Head/Marketing. Reeves led promotion teams for Warner Music Nashville, Reviver and, most recently, Riser House before launching Excelsior Music in 2024 (CAT 1/8/24). Kiley's prior stops include UMG, MTV Networks/Viacom and The Box Network. Melody Place's frontline artists include Sara Evans, Pia Toscano, Katharine McPhee, Jasmine Amy Rogers, Braden Hull and Jackie Evancho.

New View: Skyview Networks Exec. Dir./Business Development & Communications Heather Baumanis departed the company Sept. 4 for an as yet unspecified new position. It was her second stint with Skyview, having previously worked there from 2016-2021, returning as Mgr./Communications & Marketing in 2022 (CAT 9/6/22). Skyview SVP/Corporate Affairs & Communications Renee Smith, a 17-year company veteran, assumes some of her duties.

Cram Full: Former MCA Streaming Mgr. Reagan Cram has joined Sony Music Nashville as Associate Dir./Commercial Partnerships. Prior to her two-plus years with MCA, she was Project Mgr. at media and management company Channel Greatness and Executive Asst. at 19th & Grand Records.

Grid Myself: Rawlco, which purchased CKBL/Saskatoon, SK "92.9 The Bull" from Stingray in June, has re-launched the station as "92.9 The Grid." The new lineup consists of sister News-Talk CKOM-AM afternoon co-host Lochlin "Locker" Cross in mornings, sister Top 40 CIZL/Regina, SK Amanda Fisher in late mornings, and sister Rock CJDJ morning co-host Ryan "Sully" Sullivan in afternoons. Premiere Networks' The Bobby Bones Show is heard in early afternoons and evenings. Exiting are morning host Clayton Kroeker, afternoon host Jerad Bowes and 19-year station vet and midday host Pat Dubois. "Saskatoon’s Hit Country 92.9 The Grid represents connection," VP/Programming Ryan Zimmerman tells CKOM-AM. "92.9 The Grid connects the listener to the soul of country music and is 100 percent unique to Saskatchewan." Stream here.

Maker's Mark: George Strait will receive the Career Maker Award during the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame's annual gala Oct. 26 at the Music City Center. The honor is presented to those outside the Hall of Fame membership whose artistic endeavors "have helped songwriters achieve their dreams of induction into the august body." Strait joins Reba McEntire (2018) as the only recipients of this honor.

Host Like A Truck: “I couldn't be more excited to be hosting the CMA Awards again this year, especially with it being the 60th anniversary,” says Lainey Wilson, adding "this one's going to be extra special." As announced via Breaking News and on ESPN's College GameDay, Wilson will return as host for The 60th Annual CMA Awards, airing live Nov. 18 from Nashville's Bridgestone Arena on ABC and Disney+ and next day on Hulu. Tickets here.

Cloud 9: SEC Network has tapped Megan Moroney for the theme song and opening sequence for SEC Nation, the network’s weekly, traveling pre-game show. She sings a new version of the show's longtime theme, Robert Randolph and The Family Band’s “Take The Party," which debuted Sept. 5 during the 2026 Aflac Kickoff Game between Auburn and Baylor.

CK_Heartland Rock and Roll Tour_Admat.jpg

Tour Support: Corey Kent's 20+ date Heartland Rock and Roll Tour kicks off Jan. 22 at Billy Bob’s Texas in Fort Worth. The tour will make stops in Houston, Detroit, Columbus, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Boston and more before wrapping April 30 at Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium. Joining him are Tyler Nance and Jacob Hackworth; tickets here Friday (9/11).

ICYMI: Performances from last night's (9/7) America's Tailgate On CBS included Gabby Barrett's "In On It" and "Jolene," and Chase Rice's "Connie Lou." Watch here.

Crib Note: Riser House's Meghan Patrick and Mitchell Tenpenny welcomed their first child, Ember James, Sept. 1. The baby girl weighed 5lbs and 12oz. "We are just in awe and so grateful that God chose us to be her parents," they shared on social media. "The last few days have been the most beautifully exhausting days and we are just trying to soak up every second with our sweet Emmy girl."

Chronicle: Former Forever WFGS/Murray, KY air personality and salesperson Brittany Overbee (on air as Emmy Green) died Sept. 4 at the age of 42 after being shot in her home Aug. 17, allegedly by her husband. The station posted a Facebook tribute here, saying, "For many years, she shared her caring and loving personality with our listeners on-air." Full obituary, including details of her Sept. 9 visitation and Sept. 10 funeral, here.

Gayle Hill, a 2019 Source Hall of Fame inductee, died Aug. 18 at her home in Ashland City, TN at the age of 90. After three years working for Nashville producer Glen Sutton, she formed G Hill & Company in 1973, a PR agency that also produced jingles, including Dottie West’s “Country Sunshine” for Coca-Cola. Hill seved on the boards of CMA and NARAS (now the Recording Academy). A Celebration of Life will be held Sept. 26 at 1:30pm at 1025 Ed Burgess Road in Ashland City. The family requests memorial donations to Alive Hospice.

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

TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA)
LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia)
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost)
KENNY CHESNEY/Carry On (Hey Now)
JOHN MORGAN/Kid Myself (Night Train/Broken Bow)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Sept. 6-7, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

LAUREN ALAINA f/CHASE MATTHEW/All My Exes (Big Loud) +583 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +574 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +569 points
LUKE COMBS/Rethink Some Things (Columbia) +547 points
JASON ALDEAN/Anytime Soon (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +538 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (9/9): Hunter Hayes, Hailey Whitters, Drew Parker, Charles Esten, John McFee, Joe Smyth (Sawyer Brown), Tom Wopat, Amanda Heinrichs, Jack O'Malley, Matt Ramone, the late Joey Martin Feek (Joey + Rory), the late Bonnie Taggart, the late John "JT" Thomas.

Tube Check Tonight (9/8): Warren Zeiders, America's Got Talent (NBC).

ColeGoodwin_A_AD_Howdy_CA_RadioTrakCallout_DailyRectangle_460x192_2026.09.08_FNL.jpg

Labor Gains: Big Loud's Lauren Alaina with the WUSY/Chattanooga crew at Labor Day At The Post. Pictured (l-r) are the station's Greg "StyckMan" Owens and Melissa "Mo" Wagner, Alaina, the station's Ken Hicks and Justin Cole, the label's Kelley Bradshaw and the station's Jaclyn Davis.

(Trea)sure Gonna Know We Were Here: Broken Bow's Jason Aldean (c) with KEEY/Minneapolis' Gregg Swedberg (l) and Rich Davis at Treasure Island Amphitheater.

Off Campus: RCA's Kane Brown with Amazon Music's Tatiana Angulo (l) and Michelle Tigard Kammerer at his Off To College with Kane Brown concert and livestream.

Signage: Singer/songwriter/producer Katlin Owen signs a joint-venture publishing agreement with Song Hunter Publishing and Warner Chappell Music. Pictured (l-r) are Song Hunter’s Charlton Combs and Brian Kelley, Owen and WCM's Benji Amaefule and Abigail Larsen.