September 3, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Ten Speed: Here are July Eastlan Ratings for Country stations in the 10 largest markets it measures, compared with May and June. Eastlan uses online and phone-based recall surveys. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Chicago	WUSN Audacy 4.1 (7t) - 4.2 (8) - 4.2 (8) WXLC Connoisseur 0.2 (39t) - 0.2 (39t) - 0.3 (34t)
Dallas	KPLX Cumulus 6.0 (2) - 6.0 (2) - 6.1 (2) KSCS Cumulus 5.0 (3) - 5.0 (3) - 5.5 (3)
Houston	KKBQ Radio One 5.9 (3) - 5.7 (3t) - 5.5 (6) KILT Audacy 4.0 (11) - 3.7 (13) - 3.6 (13)
Atlanta	WKHX Cumulus 4.6 (7) - 4.6 (7) - 4.6 (7) WUBL iHeartMedia 3.7 (11) - 3.7 (11t) - 3.6 (12)
Seattle	KKWF Audacy 6.3 (3) - 6.1 (3) - 6.1 (3) KPLZ Lotus Classic Country 2.9 (15t) - 2.9 (16t) - 2.8 (16t) KPNW Hubbard 1.8 (22) - 1.5 (22) - 2.1 (19t)
Cincinnati	WUBE Hubbard 8.9 (2t) - 9.0 (2) - 9.2 (3) WYGY Hubbard 2.1 (18) - 2.4 (14t) - 2.4 (16) WHKO/Dayton Cox 1.3 (20) - 1.3 (20) - 1.2 (20) WNNF Cumulus 1.1 (21) - 1.0 (21) - 1.1 (21)
Raleigh	WQDR Curtis 6.6 (3t) - 6.7 (3) - 7.1 (3) WNCB iHeartMedia 2.4 (14t) - 2.3 (14t) - 2.4 (14)
Greensboro	WTQR iHeartMedia 5.7 (6) - 5.3 (7) - 5.0 (9) WPAW Audacy 3.2 (11) - 3.6 (10) - 4.1 (10) WQDR/Raleigh Curtis 1.7 (17) - 1.5 (17) - 1.6 (17)
Oklahoma City	KTST iHeartMedia 6.3 (5t) - 6.6 (5) - 6.8 (4) KJKE Tyler 4.3 (11) - 4.4 (11) - 4.4 (9t) KXXY iHeartMedia Classic Country 3.3 (12) - 3.3 (12) - 3.3 (12) KWFF Chisolm Trail Classic Country 1.1 (21t) - 1.1 (21t) - 1.1 (22t)
Memphis	WGKX Cumulus 5.0 (9) - 4.9 (9) - 5.1 (8) WLFP Audacy 4.3 (10) - 4.4 (10) - 4.6 (10) WEBL North Mississippi Media 1.4 (17t) - 1.4 (16t) - 1.3 (18)

BBRMG's Kenny Exits: Today (9/2) was BBRMG/BMG VP/A&R Camille Kenny's last day with the company. "It’s been an honor to work with so many gifted artists and inspired managers, and I’ll be forever proud of the songs and albums we brought to life during my time here," she says. Kenny joined the label group from Big Loud in 2024 (CAT 4/1/24) and rose to VP in 2025 (CAT 11/6/25). Reach her at 404-819-4919 and here. No word on plans for the open position.

Turcotte Departs: TEG Live SVP/Country Brad Turcotte has departed his role at Ticketek Entertainment Group's global touring platform (CAT 2/17), along with two Australian colleagues, Brisbane-based Head of Strategy/Country Music Clay Doughty and Melbourne-based Head of Touring/Country Music Alex Kelsey. Prior to this role, Turcotte was with Vector Management, with previous positions including VP/Marketing at then-UMG/Nashville, Dir./International Marketing and EVP/Music World Entertainment at then-BMLG and Partner at 615 Leverage + Strategy. Reach Turcotte at 615-491-4870 or here. Find Doughty here and Kelsey here.

Gentleman Jack: Beasley's Jack Daniel will retire Sept. 18 following a 54-year radio career. Currently PD/midday host at the company's Classic Hits WKQC/Charlotte, he's best known in Country circles as the PD of sister WSOC from 2018-2021 (CAT 10/26/18). Daniel has been on-air in Charlotte since 1975, including time at WROQ, WBCY, WRFX, WEND, WPEG and WBCN-AM & W234BY.

Derek & The Dominoes: Usher KOPW/Omaha, NE, which flipped to Country last month (CAT 8/13), has added Your Ag Network owner Derek Beck as PD/night host. Beck's previous roles include OM for Eagle Media/North Platte, NE, morning host at mornings on Eagle's Classic Country KNPQ and PD for Hometown Family Radio Radio/North Platte. The station's on-air lineup includes longtime Eagle Media/Great Bend, KS personality/production talent Kate Brennan in mornings, former iHeartMedia KFFF/Omaha morning host Ritch Cassidy in middays and Hot AC sister KQKQ morning co-host Meg Rieder in afternoons. Reach Beck here. Listen here.

Gig Alert: Boutique label and publishing company Melody Place is seeking a full-time, Nashville-based Dir./Streaming to lead strategy across its country and pop roster. Experience at a record label, distributor, artist management company, DSP or a similarly relevant music-industry environment is required, as are established relationships with key DSPs and streaming partners. See details on the newly-created position and apply here.

You Can Call Me LaSalle: Here are select July Eastlan Ratings showing Country stations that are leading in the 27 markets measured monthly by the company, compared with May and June. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

KSJJ/Bend, OR Gross: 13.8 - 13.4 - 14.0
Largest share since Oct. 2024.
KCTR/Billings, MT Townsquare: 10.0 - 10.6 - 11.6
WOKO/Burlington, VT Hall: 13.6 - 13.1 - 12.9
WQBE/Charleston, WV Bristol: 13.6 - 13.7 - 14.0
WXBQ/Johnson City, TN Bristol: 16.1 - 16.8 - 17.9
KDBR/Kalispell, MT Bee: 15.4 - 15.6 - 15.3
WALS/LaSalle, IN Shaw Local: 14.0 - 13.9 - 14.2
Largest share in eight years of Eastlan measurement.
KXLY/Spokane Queen B: 8.7 - 8.8 - 8.7
WBBS/Syracuse iHeartMedia: 8.6 - 7.8 - 8.8
KEZJ/Twin Falls, ID Townsquare: 16.2 - 15.3 - 15.3
WACO/Waco, TX iHeartMedia: 15.9 - 15.6 - 16.8

Place Kicker: Marc Media is purchasing Cumulus' three-station Melbourne, FL cluster, including Country WHKR. Marc already owns two stations in the market, including Classic Country WIXC & W288DZ. WHKR airs a Cumulus/Westwood One-heavy programming lineup, including Kincaid & Dallas in mornings, Country Nights Live With Bev Rainey, and American Country Countdown With Ryan Fox on Sunday mornings.

792146816_944926037968352_3327926032312866609_n.png.jpeg

Global Warming: Jordan Davis, Drake Milligan, Tucker Wetmore and Lainey Wilson are finalists for the CMA's International Artist Achievement Award, recognizing a U.S.-based artist who "has demonstrated significant creative growth, development and promotion of the country music industry outside of the U.S." Finalists for its International Country Broadcaster Award are iHeartRadio/Pure Country (Canada)'s Shannon Ella, BBC Radio 2 (U.K.)'s Bob Harris, Absolute Radio Country (U.K.)'s Baylen Leonard and iHeartCountry AU (Australia)'s Justin Thomson. Jeff Walker Global Country Artist Award nominees are Wade Forster (Australia), Gareth (U.K.), James Johnston (Australia) and Tami Neilson (New Zealand). Nominations are made by CMA members and finalists/winners are selected by a CMA board-approved task force. Winners will be announced later in the year.

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

Colleagues share Dolly Parton memories in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Lois "Double-L" Lewis and Matt Wood are joining KILT/Houston in mornings. (9/2)
The CMA Broadcast nominees were announced. (9/1)
Jon Loba was named Head/Global Frontline Recordings following the BMG/Concord merger. (9/1)
Brittani Johnson is MCA's new VP/Streaming. (9/1)
MCA VP/Audience Development Chris Schuler exited. (9/1)

Bits & Pieces: The Grand Ole Opry will mark Vince Gill's 35th anniversary as an Opry member with two Oct. 17 shows. Performers will include Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Patty Loveless, Amy Grant and Wendy Moten. Tickets here.

The third annual Cody Johnson Championship Event takes place Oct. 6-11 in Belton, TX, featuring elite ropers competing for the champion title and prize money. The event will also include the Champs For Charity Gala, featuring an auction and acoustic performance from Johnson, with proceeds benefitting charities close to the singer's heart. Schedule and tickets here.

ICYMI: Bobby Bones' will celebrate the 10th anniversary of his iHeartMedia podcast, Bobby Bones Presents: The BobbyCast this month, generating coverage in Forbes and The Hollywood Reporter, the latter focused on his partnership with Netflix (CAT 12/16/25).

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

TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA) 4739 points
LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) 4590 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) 4017 points
KENNY CHESNEY/Carry On (Hey Now) 3568 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) 3033 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Aug. 30-Sept. 2, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA) +5066 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +1550 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +1205 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) +1013 points
DAN + SHAY/Say So (Warner/WRN) +972 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (9/4): Granger Smith, Tom Gossin (Gloriana), Noel Haggard, Nikki Thomas, JD Cannon.

ColeGoodwin_A_AD_Howdy_PickupLineOrHitSong_CA_DailyRectangle_460x192_2026.08.31_FNL.gif

Star Shine: WLFP/Memphis' Stars & Guitars raises more than $35,000 for Le Bonheur Children's Hospital. Pictured (l-r) are the station's Chris Michaels and Abby Summers, Sony Music Nashville's Zach John King, Nashville Harbor's Greylan James, The Band Perry's Johnny Costello and Kimberly Perry, the station's Duane Shannon, Shinedown's Zach Myers and Brent Smith, and the station's Greg "StyckMan" Owens, Melissa "Mo" Wagner and Erin Austin.

Small Town Bro Down: Wheelhouse's Brantley Gilbert, Stoney Creek's Atlus and Riser House's Mitchell Tenpenny (l-r) with WMIL/Milwaukee's Shanna Cudeck at the station's Secret Show.

Sooner Or Slater: Warner's Slater Nalley (c) with the label's Mason Domke, the Opry's Stacey Cato and Lexi Lampkin and the label's Cris Lacy (l-r) at his Grand Ole Opry debut.

CarolineJones_A_AD_YoureItForMeHoney_CalloutResearch_CA_Tower_160x600_2026.08.31_FNL.jpg