February 13, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

HYBE & Seek: BMLG EVP/Creative Sandi Spika Borchetta is among the approximately 15 executives leaving the HYBE America-owned company to join her husband Scott Borchetta's new venture, as reported this morning (2/13) via Breaking News. Also moving to the new venture, which will retain the Big Machine Records brand for one of its two imprints (Breaking News 2/12), are National Dir./Promotion & Marketing Brooke Diaz, Dir./Promotion & Marketing/Midwest Jane Staszak, Dir./Streaming Andi Brooks, SVP/A&R Julian Raymond, VP/Design & Branding Justin Ford and Scott's assistant Madison Larson. The entire staff and roster of Nashville Harbor Records & Entertainment is also part of the new venture, including Pres./CEO Jimmy Harnen and SVPP Ryan Dokke.

The new, Borchetta-owned Big Machine artist roster includes Tim McGraw, Rascal Flatts, Lady A, Aaron Lewis, Mackenzie Carpenter, Jack Wharff Band and Cole Goodwin. The Nashville Harbor roster continues to include Riley Green, The Band Perry, Caroline Jones, Greylan James and Shaylen. Those imprints, still distributed through HYBE, will be organized under a soon-to-be-named parent company, and worked by one "super-sized" promotion team, according to Borchetta.

Exiting the HYBE America-owned and soon to be renamed BMLG – which is folding the Valory imprint – are Big Machine VP/Promotion & Marketing Erik Powell (reach him here), Valory Music VP/Promotion & Marketing Chris Palmer (reach him here) and Big Machine Sr. Dir./West Coast Promotion & National Strategy Bill Lubitz (reach him here). BMLG/HYBE will share its leadership plan next week.

SLC's Black Departs: Broadway Media KNAH/Salt Lake City morning host Randy "Bubba" Black has departed. He joined the station (then known as KEGA) for middays in 2022 (CAT 9/7/22) and moved to mornings in 2024 (CAT 2/9/24). Black previously spent three years as OM/PD at KSTN/Stockton, CA (CAT 5/12/17) after 12 years at KATM/Modesto and four at KBUL/Reno, NV. He also previously programmed Broadway's Rhythmic AC KUUU/Salt Lake City from 2022-2023. No word on plans for the position. Black is looking to voicetrack and consult small and medium-market stations; reach him here.

Suite Dreams: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has promoted Dir./Marketing Maggie Banker to Sr. Dir., Sr. Mgr./Human Resources Denise Alvis to Dir., Sr. Mgr./Guest Experience Nancy Cason to Assoc. Dir. and Sr. Mgr./Social Media Meredith Rife to Assoc. Dir. Banker joined the museum’s marketing team in 2018. Prior to joining the museum in 2022, Alvis worked as Dir./HR for National HealthCare Corporation. Cason has been with the CMHoF for 10 years, holding various roles in reservations, ticketing and guest experience, and Rife joined in 2023.

Gig Alert: The CMA and independent executive search firm Buffkin Baker have opened applications for the company's next CEO. Under the leadership of a search committee newly formed by CMA’s Board of Directors, Buffkin Baker will begin reviewing all applicants’ résumés; questions about the position can be directed here. A full summary of the position, functions and qualifications can be found here. Outgoing CEO Sarah Trahern is retiring at the end of the year (CAT 1/14).

Tour Support: Dierks Bentley's Off The Map Tour will route through amphitheaters in June and July, beginning June 12 in Rogers, AR. Joining on select dates are Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder, Kaitlin Butts, Cole Goodwin, Owen Riegling and the Mountain Grass Unit. Tickets go on sale Feb. 20 here.

Megan Moroney kicks off 9 Cities. 9 Days in New York City on Cloud 9’s drop date (2/20) and wraps Feb. 28 in Scottsdale, AZ. With the exception of the Scottsdale stop, all events will be ticketed at a cost of $9, and tickets will be available at the venue box office beginning at 9am on the morning of each event, with a limit of two tickets per person. A portion of the proceeds from ticket sales will go towards The Megan Moroney Foundation.

Flatland Cavalry's 37-date Work of Heart Tour, named for their upcoming album (3/27), starts March 19 in Mobile, AL; schedule here.

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You're My Boy, Blue: High Top Mountain/Elektra artist Johnny Blue Skies & the Dark Clouds are the first signing to Atlantic Outpost. The Sturgill Simpson-fronted band's Mutiny After Midnight will be released March 13 on the newly formed Nashville-based label helmed by Atlantic Music Group EVP/A&R Ian Cripps and Co-Head/Pop & Rock A&R Jeff Levin (CAT 7/25/25).

Tree Fallin': ACM Lifting Lives is continuing to offer support to Academy members displaced, lacking power or otherwise affected by severe winter weather. Those affected and in need of financial assistance can fill out an application here.

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

The final day to register online for CRS 2026 is Feb. 18.
Ella Langley leads early 2026 airplay, while Cody Johnson returns to the stage in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Dave Thomas was named PD/morning host for WSIG/Harrisonburg, VA. (2/11)
WFRG/Utica, NY's Dave "Wheels" Wheeler departed. (2/10)
Valory Pres. George Briner retired. (2/9)
iHeartMedia's Bill Stewart was named Tucson SVPP. (2/9)
Dane Schmidt, Jordan Marcus and Jude Warren joined ERN's Cadillac Music. (2/9)

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The Country Aircheck offices will be closed Monday (2/16) in observance of Presidents' Day. The deadline for reporting adds has been extended to Tuesday (2/17) at 2pm CT. Country Aircheck Weekly will be delivered Tuesday night.

Chronicle: Musicians Hall of Fame inductee Jerry Kennedy, whose career spanned guitar/dobro player, producer, record label executive and recording artist, died in Nashville this week at the age of 85. He was signed to his first RCA recording contract at age 11, and moved to Nashville in the 1960s, finding work as a session musician. His playing can be heard of such classics as Roy Orbison's "Oh, Pretty Woman," Jeannie C. Riley's "Harper Valley PTA" and Tammy Wynette's "Stand By Your Man." He went on to run Mercury Records' country division, where he worked from 1969-1984 with artists including Roger Miller, Tom T. Hall, Reba McEntire, Johnny Rodriguez and The Statler Brothers. As a producer, he worked with Miller and Jerry Lee Lewis, among many others. His sons Gordon, Bryan, and Shelby Kennedy all work in the music business. Read Kennedy's full obituary here. Watch his 2008 "Nashville Cats" session at the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum here. No word on services.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Feb. 12, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 4903 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 4292 points
MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud) 3958 points
SHABOOZEY & JELLY ROLL/Amen (Empire/Magnolia/Stoney Creek) 3941 points
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (MCA/Valory) 2932 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Feb. 8-12, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +3643 points
LUKE COMBS/Sleepless In A Hotel Room (Columbia) +2316 points
CODY JOHNSON/The Fall (CoJo/Warner/WRN) +1860 points
THE BAND PERRY/Psychological (Nash. Harbor) +1653 points
LUKE COMBS/Days Like These (Columbia) +1647 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (2/14): Anthony Olympia (Everette), Larry Fleet, Shelby Kennedy, Stacy Rogers, Shawn Parr, Steve Lundy, the late Razzy Bailey.

Sunday's Birthdays (2/15): Melissa Manchester, R.G. Jones, Brent Jones, Paige Altone, Joe Cassady, the late Hank Locklin.

Monday's Birthdays (2/16): Doug Phelps (Kentucky Headhunters), Paul Worley, Lauren Longbine Bartlett, Ali Matkosky, Jill Napier, the late Jo Walker-Meador.

Tuesday's Birthdays (2/17): Jon Randall, Bryan White, Larry the Cable Guy, Bob Walker, Brett Miller, Shane Collins, Bill Hagy, Mike Crow, the late Chuck Dauphin.

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Hoppy Does: KFGE/Lincoln's Brooke Summers, Cory Edmondson and Johanna Buresh (l-r) commemorate the more than $98,000 raised for St. Jude during the Froggy98 Country Cares radiothon, bringing the station's 24-year total to $1.91 million.

"Cowgirl" Rides Away: Stoney Creek's Parmalee celebrate their sixth No. 1, "Cowgirl" at BMI/Nashville. Pictured (back, l-r) are Sony Music Publishing’s Rusty Gaston, VaughnCo Entertainment’s Vaughn Rowsell, songwriter/producer David Fanning, BMI’s Shannon Sanders, songwriter Peter Daniel Newman, Reservoir’s John Ozier, songwriter Robbie Jay, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart, the label's Stan Marczewski, Cooking Vinyl’s Ryan Farley and the label's Adrian Michaels; (front, l-r) the group's Josh McSwain, Matt Thomas, Barry Knox and Scott Thomas.

Lake View: Stone Country 's Lakelin Lemmings with KBAY/San Jose's J. Love and Emily Harlan (top) and KBUL/Reno's Bob Richards and Jen Fisk.

Play It Crowd: Singer/songwriter Chris Cagle is presented a Pandora Billionaire plaque during a SiriusXM event celebrating the 25th anniversary of his debut album, Play It Loud. Pictured (l-r) are WME’s Brian Jones, manager Cole Johnstone, SXM's "Trapper" John Morris, Cagle, SXM's Ashley Till and WME’s Lance Alleman.

Jackpot: Big Machine's The Jack Wharff Band make their Grand Ole Opry debut. Pictured (l-r) are the label's LJ Stoll, the group's Ryan Atchison and Evan Novoa, the label's Scott Borchetta, the group's Garrett Howell and Jack Wharff and the label's Allison Jones and Kris Lamb.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Mary Kutter signs with BBRMG. Pictured (front, l-r) are the label's Peter Strickland and JoJamie Hahr, Kutter and the label's Jon Loba and Adrian Michaels; (back, l-r) Fuller Creative's Steven Fuller, Charlie Pennachio, Jacob Summers and Oswald Entertainment's Marc Oswald.