April 2, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com

Whistle Guidance: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for February 2025 (three-month rolling average, 11/7-3/5) compared with December and January. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Birmingham, AL (Market 61)	WZZK SummitMedia 5.8 (5) - 6.0 (4) - 5.4 (5) WDXB iHeartMedia 6.1 (4) - 5.2 (5) - 4.4 (7)
Buffalo, NY (59)	WYRK Townsquare 9.0 (1) - 8.7 (1) - 7.8 (2) WLKK Audacy 1.2 (13) - 1.3 (12t) - 1.2 (13t)
Fort Myers, FL (52)	WWGR Renda 4.7 (3) - 4.0 (7) - 4.0 (6) WCKT iHeartMedia 2.6 (11) - 2.3 (12t) - 2.0 (12t) WHEL Sun N/A - 1.3 (19) - 1.6 (15t) Flipped from Top 40 to Country on Jan. 20 (CAT 1/21).
Greenville, SC (54)	WSSL iHeartMedia 7.2 (2) - 6.6 (3) - 7.5 (1t) Largest share and first No. 1 since Feb. 2024. WESC iHeartMedia Classic Country 6.5 (3) - 6.9 (2) - 6.0 (5)
Richmond, VA (51)	WKHK SummitMedia 5.7 (3t) - 5.6 (4) - 5.5 (4t) WRXL-HD2 Audacy 1.7 (14) - 1.9 (13) - 1.2 (14)
Rochester, NY (60)	WBEE Audacy 6.7 (3) - 6.4 (3t) - 6.3 (3) WDVI iHeartMedia 2.7 (8) - 2.3 (8) - 2.4 (8)
Tucson, AZ (62)	KIIM Cumulus 7.5 (1) - 7.3 (2) - 6.9 (3) KHUD iHeartMedia 2.9 (14) - 3.8 (7) - 3.1 (10t)

Monument Folds: "I have agreed to assist the Sony Music Nashville team in the transition in integrating Tigirlily Gold into their system," says outgoing Monument VP/Promotion Luke Jensen in an email sent to radio today and obtained by Country Aircheck. "I will be working ['Forever From Here'] as we continue to climb the charts alongside the Columbia/RCA team in the interim."

As reported earlier via Breaking News (4/2), Nashville-based Monument Records is closing after more than eight years. Among those departing are GM Katie McCartney, Jensen, VP/Marketing & Commercial Partnerships Casey Thomas and Dirs./Regional Promotion Glenn Noblit and Megan McCaffrey. Also departing are Mgr./Digital Marketing & Streaming Claire Karliak, Mgr./Marketing & Creative Ansley Neeley and Coord./Marketing & Promotion Hannah Loomis. Other artists on Monument are Walker Hayes (in a joint venture with RCA/NY), Brandon Ratcliff, Alex Hall, Shelby Lynne and the recently-signed Clay Street Unit (CAT 1/24). No word on their disposition within Sony, if any.

Reach McCartney here, Thomas here, Noblit here, McCaffrey here, Karliak here, Neeley here and Loomis here. Jensen can still be reached here.

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Townsquare's Pickett Exits: Townsquare/Boise Dir./Content Chris Pickett has exited after five years with the cluster, which includes Country KAWO (CAT 11/22/19). No word on plans for the position. Prior to joining Townsquare, Pickett spent seven years at iHeartMedia/Las Vegas, preceded by nine years with the company's clusters in Colorado Springs, Tucson and Denver. Reach him here.

Flip Out: Socorro Community Classic Country KYRN/Socorro, NM has changed call letters to KNMQ and is stunting with Christmas music. In a post on the station's Facebook page, Owner Steve Edmondson says, "It has been a great ride, but it's time for change. I have been greatly blessed to have the opportunity to share many great moments with you and I will always cherish those moments." No word on staff changes.

Somebody Save Three: Songwriters Rocky Block, John Byron, Zach Crowell, Jessie Jo Dillon, Ashley Gorley (2x), Charlie Handsome (2x), Jelly Roll, Ben Johnson, Chase McGill, Jordan Minton, Randy Montana, Hunter Phelps, Taylor Phillips, Ernest Keith Smith, Josh Thompson and Morgan Wallen will be recognized during the Jim Beavers-hosted CMA Triple Play Awards April 29 in Nashville. Additionally, publishing vet David Conrad will receive the CMA Songwriter Advocate Award, and 73 songwriters who have achieved their first No. 1 country song since the previous ceremony will be honored.

Wall To WALS: Here are select February Eastlan Ratings showing Country stations that are leading in the 13 markets measured monthly by the company, compared with December and January. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

KSJJ/Bend, OR Gross: 13.4 - 12.5 - 11.7
KCTR/Billings, MT Townsquare: 13.9 - 14.1 - 13.3
WQBE/Charleston, WV Bristol: 17.1 - 15.0 - 13.9
WXBQ/Johnson City, TN Bristol: 22.3 - 22.2 - 21.1
KDBR/Kalispell, MT Bee: 14.3 - 13.7 - 13.8
WALS/LaSalle, IL Shaw Local: 11.1 - 10.7 - 12.4 (Largest share since July 2023)
WBBN/Laurel, MS Blakeney: 12.0 - 13.1 - 14.7
KFGY/Santa Rosa, CA Amaturo Sonoma: 7.6 - 7.2 - 7.7 (Largest share since last February)

App Chat: Applications for the CRS 2026 Agenda Committee are being accepted through April 18 here. Applicants must be available to attend in-person planning sessions in Nashville July 21-23 and CRS 2026 March 18-20. Returning to lead the Agenda Committee are BBRMG's Shelley Hargis (Chair) and Krista Hayes-Pruitt (Co-Vice Chair), with Pamal Broadcasting's Kevin Callahan joining as Co-Vice Chair.

Festive All: Jordan Davis, Laci Kaye Booth, Chloé Caroline, Preston Cooper, Bradley Gaskin, Erin Grand, Greylan James and Timmy McKeever have been added to the invite-only Live In The Vineyard Goes Country April 22-24 in Napa Valley, CA (CAT 3/5).

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

Country Aircheck’s ACM Voter’s Guide is available here.
Family Tradition continues with Ben, Mike and Ginny Brophey in Country Aircheck Weekly.
iHeartMedia's Jennifer Stocker was upped to Area President for Nebraska-Iowa.
"Kira Kathleen" Smethers joined KCLR/Columbia, MO in nights.
Chronicle: Van Parker, Joseph "Dick" Damron.

Bits & Pieces: Zac Brown has launched a hard iced tea brand, Crooked Tea, available in lemon, peach and raspberry flavors. He kicked off the launch by handing out cans from behind the bar at Tin Roof Broadway in Nashville Monday (3/31).

Cumulus' 10 stations in Mobile and Pensacola (including WXBM) joined forces with the Mobile County Animal Shelter March 22 for the first-ever Gulf Coast Pet Adoption Festival. The initiative connected 38 pets with new homes. A similar event will be held at Escambia Country Animal Welfare Department in Pensacola May 3.

Dasha, Brooke Eden, Lindsay Ell, Sam Williams and David Archuleta will perform at GLAAD and Ty Herndon's 10th anniversary Concert For Love & Acceptance June 2 at Nashville's Category 10. Tickets here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for April 1, according to Mediabase 24/7.

LOCASH/Hometown Home (Galaxy) 4759 points
JOHN MORGAN f/JASON ALDEAN/Friends Like That (Night Train/Broken Bow) 3722 points
MORGAN WALLEN/I'm The Problem (Big Loud) 3717 points
COLE SWINDELL/Forever To Me (Warner/WMN) 3384 points
DYLAN SCOTT/This Town's Been Too Good To Us (Curb) 3238 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for March 30-April 1 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

MORGAN WALLEN/I'm The Problem (Big Loud) +1408 points
LOCASH/Hometown Home (Galaxy) +1328 points
JOHN MORGAN f/JASON ALDEAN/Friends Like That (Night Train/Broken Bow) +1068 points
BLAKE SHELTON/Texas (Wheelhouse) +857 points
NATE SMITH/Fix What You Didn't Break (RCA) +756 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (4/3): Curtis Stone (Highway 101), Michelle Brown, JoJo Turnbeaugh, Lisa Davis Purcell, Alicia Jones, the late Don Gibson, the late Billy Joe Royal.

Tube Check Tomorrow (4/3): Jordan Davis, Watch What Happens Live (Bravo).

Strike A Rose: Black River's Chris Young with Y'all Access Radio's Kelly Sutton.

Chicken Parmalee: Parmalee's Scott Thomas, Matt Thomas, Barry Knox and Josh McSwain (l-r) visit Highway Mornings with Cody Alan (c).

Fill Ragin': Big Machine's Jackson Dean (in hat) with Laurie Kapugi, iHeart's Jeff Kapugi and the label's Brooke Diaz (l-r) at The Fillmore Silver Spring.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Averie Bielski signs with Sony Music Publishing Nashville. Pictured (back, l-r) are SMPN's Dale Bobo, attorney Scott Safford, BMI's Leslie Roberts and SMPN's Anna Weisband and Rusty Gaston; (front, l-r) SMPN's Tom Luteran, Bielski and SMPN's Synnovea Halsel.