December 6, 2023 News@CountryAircheck.com

Early Bird: Former iHeartMedia Pacific NW Region Pres. Robert Dove joins Alpha Media as SVP/Market Mgr. of its Portland, OR stations, including KUPL, effective Jan. 1. The 36-year broadcasting industry veteran succeeds Lisa Decker, who will be retiring at the end of the year. Decker joined Alpha in her current role in 2016 from KING/Seattle, where she was Dir./Corp. Sponsorships (CAT 10/28/16). Prior stops include Clear Channel/Tacoma and CBS Radio/Seattle.

Carroll Retires: Independent promoter Ralph Carroll is retiring from Country promotion after 30 years, 28 with his own company, at the end of this year. "My time in the Nashville music community was some of the best times in my life," Carroll tells Country Aircheck. "I made lifelong friendships I still cherish. Thanks to all the Country radio and label execs who allowed me to be part of the process."

Following 11 years in radio, Carroll’s label career began when he moved to Nashville in 1989 doing Pop promotion with Polydor and Giant. He was Polydor’s Country VP/Promotion under label head Harold Shedd in 1995 when he launched R&R And Associates, an independent promotion firm promoting Country, Alternative, CHR, CHR/Rhythmic and AC radio. His radio career included on-air and programming stints at WQLT/Florence, AL, WCGQ/Columbus, GA and KKFR/Phoenix. For tee times and room reservations at his Florida home to help him in retirement, reach him here.

Spokane Like A Gentleman: Former KEYF and KDRK/Spokane, WA personality Jeff Moreland has returned to radio after an 18-month detour into another career, joining the iHeartMedia cluster in Spokane (which includes Country K257FX/KCDA-HD2) as Promotions Asst. Reach him at 509-999-9395 or here.

Kiwi The People: Southern Cross Country has launched as New Zealand's first Country streaming station. The lineup features veteran New Zealand personalities Mike Puru in mornings, Dir./Content Dan Bernstone in middays and Hamish Denton in afternoons. Southern Cross Country will also spotlight local New Zealand artists. Visit the website here; stream here.

Watch Works: Pandora's country artists to watch for 2024 are Cooper Alan, Josh Ross, Dylan Marlowe, The Castellows, Sophia Scott, Harper O'Neill, Carter Faith, Jade Eagleson, Lauren Watkins and Greylan James. Alan is also the only country artist included on Pandora's all-genre artists to watch list. Dir./Country Programming Johnny Chiang tells Country Aircheck the 10 artists "will be considered for automatic programming and marketing support on Pandora throughout all of 2024 as they release music."

While Pandora looked ahead, YouTube shared its all-genre year-end list of topics and songs that defined 2023, including Morgan Wallen's "Last Night" at No. 5; full list here.

Specials Delivery: Premiere is offering After MidNite with Granger Smith Presents: A Smith Family Christmas Special featuring country stars discussing Christmas memories and traditions along with holiday music. The four-hour special is barter-free and can air anytime through Jan. 1. Email for details here.

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

Friends and colleagues remember the life and legacy of Bill Mayne in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Audacy Regional Pres./Chicago, Madison, Milwaukee & Minneapolis Rachel Williamson was named Pres./Local Sales Strategy & Innovation and is being succeeded by Kevin Cassidy.
iHeartMedia named three new Regional Division Presidents: Bernie Weiss, Paul Corvino and Tom McConnell.
Cumulus' Collin Jones is adding duties as Pres. of Westwood One.
Warner/WMN Dir./National Radio Chris Fabiani is leaving the company, and Tom Martens is on the hunt for his successor.

Contact Update: The latest (CAT 9/6) company to announce an upcoming move to Nashville Yards is AEG Presents, whose regional office will open in 2025. The company will also be booking and operating the new music venue at the development, scheduled to open in early 2025.

ICYMI: Brad Paisley led the MLB Draft Lottery in Nashville last night (12/5). Watch him reveal the No. 1 overall pick, the Cleveland Guardians, here.

Old Dominion have been added to the lineup for New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash (CAT 11/3).

After her annual shopping spree at Tractor Supply Company, Miranda Lambert and her bandmates visited Hearts Alive Village and Nevada SPCA in Las Vegas to share a truckload of pet toys, beds and supplies with the shelters.

New members Colbie Caillat, Hannah Ellis, Ian Munsick, Matt Stell and more help the ACM reach more than 5,000 professional members, its highest membership count since numbers were tracked.

Life Note: Valory's Aaron Lewis has postponed or cancelled seven shows while on mandatory vocal rest. In a statement on social media, Lewis explains, "Life has reminded me I'm creeping up on 52. After recording a new Staind album, a new solo album and playing 150-plus shows this year, my doctors have insisted I take this month off to give my voice some much needed rest before I do damage to my cords." His next scheduled tour date is Jan. 4 in Bensalem, PA.

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

JELLY ROLL w/LAINEY WILSON/Save Me (BMG/Stoney Creek) 4533 points
NATE SMITH/World On Fire (RCA) 3948 points
LUKE BRYAN/But I Got A Beer In My Hand (Capitol) 3732 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Everything I Love (Big Loud) 3545 points
GEORGE BIRGE/Mind On You (Records Nashville) 3536 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Dec. 3-5 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

LUKE BRYAN/But I Got A Beer In My Hand (Capitol) +2845 points
NATE SMITH/World On Fire (RCA) +1393 points
GEORGE BIRGE/Mind On You (Records Nashville) +790 points
WARREN ZEIDERS/Pretty Little Poison (Warner/WEA) +782 points
CHRIS STAPLETON/White Horse (Broken Bow) +740 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (12/7): Neil Mason (The Cadillac Three), Sunny Sweeney, Andy Childs, Gary Morris, the late Bobby Osborne.

Tube Check Tonight (12/6): Brittney Spencer, Caitlyn Smith, Priscilla Block and Tenille Townes, CMT Campfire Sessions: Christmas Edition; Garth Brooks, Cities Of Success (CNBC).

Tube Check Tomorrow (12/7): Chris Janson, Lauren Alaina, Meghan Patrick, Mitchell Tenpenny and more, Christmas At The Opry (NBC); Ashley McBryde, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC).

Hall-elujah: The Keith Urban and Vince Gill-hosted All for the Hall benefit concert raises a record-setting $900,000 for Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum education programs. Pictured (front, l-r) are performers Ernest, The War and Treaty's Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Trotter, Brenda Lee, Patty Loveless, Mickey Guyton and Hardy; (back, l-r) the CMHoF's Kyle Young, Old Dominion's Matthew Ramsey, Geoff Sprung, Trevor Rosen and Brad Tursi, Brooks & Dunn's Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn, Gill, Urban, performers Kelsea Ballerini and Riley Green and the CMHoF Board's Mary Ann McCready.

Tail As Old As Time: Warner/WMN's Cole Swindell celebrates his 12th No. 1, "She Had Me At Heads Carolina." Pictured (back, l-r) are the label's Patrick Sabatini, producer Zach Crowell, songwriters Jesse Frasure, Thomas Rhett and Ashley Gorley and the label's Mike Dupree; (front, l-r) the label's Torie Mason and Cris Lacy, songwriters Mark D. Sanders, Swindell and Tim Nichols and the label's Kristen Williams.

Family Tradition: Singer/songwriter Walker Montgomery makes his Grand Ole Opry debut. Pictured (l-r) are father John Michael Montgomery, Montgomery, uncle Eddie Montgomery and the Opry's Charlie Mattos.

Long Plaque Train: MCA's Josh Turner (holding plaque) celebrates his addition to Pandora's Country Billionaires station with the label's Sarah Bertrand, Modern Management’s Kelsey McMahan, the label's Alex Heimerman, SXM/Pandora’s Bekah Digby, the label's Vipin Reddy and Modern Management’s Renee Behrman-Greiman and Ted Greene (l-r) at the Grand Ole Opry. He was also presented with the Order Of The Palmetto by South Caroline Gov. Henry McMaster (inset).

I Woke Up In The New Boogatti: Curb's Hannah Ellis helps KWNR/Las Vegas kick off the National Finals Rodeo at the Ghostbar. Pictured (l-r) the label's Todd Thomas, Ellis, the station's MoJoe Roberts and Ellis' husband/guitar player Nick Richardson.

Pa Rum Pom Pom Pom: Broken Bow's Chase Rice with WGTY/York's Scott Donato and WXCY/Wilmington, DE's Charlie Maxx in Baltimore.