Forrest For The Trees: iHeartMedia/San Diego Pres. Melissa Forrest has been named VP/MM for Cumulus/Atlanta, which includes Country WKHX, succeeding the recently departed Sean Shannon (CAT 8/28). The move marks a return to Atlanta for Forrest, who was iHeart's MM in that city from 2008-2012 prior to moving to California. Her background also includes stints as VP/MM for Entercom in Austin and Seattle. Cumulus Pres./Operations Dave Milner calls Forrest "a high energy leader, with a track record of transforming business organizations into highly successful operations."

On Brand: Audacy/Chicago VP/Programming & Operations Greg Solk is shifting to the newly created Head/Chicago Brand Strategy at the end of the month. His oversight will continue to include Country WUSN. The move was announced in an internal memo from Regional Pres. Rachel Williamson, who wrote, "Greg expressed to me his desire to step back and pivot into a role with more flexibility while remaining part of our programming team. This new role will allow us to continue to benefit from his wealth of programming knowledge and his deep connection to our powerhouse brands and team." Solk will relinquish his operational managerial duties, but continue to work with the cluster's six Brand Mgrs., who will now report to Williamson.

Solk was upped to his current position in 2021 after serving as Triple A WXRT/Chicago Brand Mgr. (CAT 7/28/21). He joined WXRT in 2017 following stops at Hubbard, Bonneville and Cumulus after beginning his career at WLUP/Chicago.

Dreamcatcher Departures: Four promotion staffers have been laid off from Dreamcatcher Artists: Dir./National Promotion Kellie LaJack (née Longworth) and Promotion Mgrs. Annie Brooks, Charlie Dean and Rick Young. The latter three had been on "hiatus" from the company since early August. LaJack, Dean and Young joined Dreamcatcher last September from 19th & Grand (CAT 9/27/22), followed in January by former Triple Tigers Dir./West Coast Regional Promotion Brooks (CAT 1/13).

LaJack was formerly Mgr./Promotion at 19th & Grand. Prior promo stints include Cold River and Reviver. Reach her at 937-232-0574 or here. Prior to Triple Tigers, Brooks served as then-Entercom KWJJ/Portland Dir./Marketing & Promotions; reach her here. Dean spent 17 years with Mercury, with prior stops at MCA and Universal Music & Video Distribution. She is now working for Drew Baldridge's Lyric Ridge Records; reach her here. Young joined 19th & Grand in 2020 after nearly 20 years with Warner. Reach him at 818-926-8189 or here.

Lee Haw: SmackSongs VP/Publishing Lee Krabel has been upped to SVP. "The writers and staff at Smack continue to build one of the best independent publishers in the world," says Krabel. "I'm very thankful that Shane [McAnally], Robin [Palmer] and Robert [Carlton] continue to believe in me to be a part of this great team." Adds Carlton, "With Lee here, I know our writers will always be in good hands.” Krabel joined as Dir./Creative in 2016 and rose to VP in 2021 (CAT 8/26/21). Reach him here.

Beat To The Strip: Beasley WXTU/Philadelphia morning co-host Jeff Kurkjian will host Jeff Kurkjian's Country Beat Saturday mornings from 6 to 10 PT on sister KCYE/Las Vegas. Kurkjian co-hosted KCYE mornings for four years prior to his move to WXTU (CAT 6/2/22). Stream here.

Do You Re-Member? Applications to become a member or renew membership for the Academy of Country Music (ACM) can be submitted today (9/12) through Oct. 23 at 7pm CT here.

Roads Scholar: The CRB is accepting applications for the Lisa McKay Women In Radio Scholarship for CRS 2024. The scholarship honors the memory of the late Country Radio Hall of Famer and WQDR/Raleigh PD Lisa McKay (CAT 1/15/18), and will award three aspiring female radio programmers the opportunity to attend their first-ever CRS.

The scholarship packages include complimentary registration, hotel accommodation and airfare. Female applicants must be either a college senior broadcast communications student involved in radio programming or have one-to-three years maximum experience in the radio business as a PD, APD or MD; individuals must be first-time CRS attendees. The deadline is Oct. 2; apply here.

Tour Support: George Strait and Chris Stapleton's stadium run featuring Little Big Town has been extended into 2024 with stops including Indianapolis, Jacksonville, Charlotte, Detroit and Chicago. Tickets to most shows go on sale next Friday (9/22) here. 

Conner Smith's headlining Creek Will Rise Tour kicks off Nov. 2 in Athens, GA and wraps Jan. 27 in Tuscaloosa, AL. Joining on select dates are Lauren Watkins and John Morgan. Public onsale begins Friday (9/15) here. 

Travis Tritt Solo Acoustic Tour 2024 opens in Nashville March 1; full schedule and ticket info here. 

Kelsea Ballerini will headline her first arena show with openers Ingrid Andress and Georgia Webster Nov. 2 at Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center; tickets here Friday (9/15). 

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

• New openings were posted to the Country Aircheck Job Board. 
• Tom Humm returned to Beasley/Las Vegas as VP/Business Development. 
• Cumulus/Boise's Tori Dunn departed.
• Chronicle: Charlie Robison.

ICYMI: Chapel Hart performed "Welcome To Fist City" on NBC's Today with Hoda & Jenna (9/12). 

Luke Bryan will host a Peyton Manning-produced country docuseries for Hulu. The six-episode It’s All Country will explore "the hottest people, topics and moments in country music by examining the iconic songs and artists that changed the face of country music forever."

Adam Doleac threw the first pitch at the Twins game Saturday (9/9) before his show with Old Dominion at Xcel Energy Center. 

The Blake Shelton-produced Sawyer Brown Band doc, Get Me To The Stage On Time, will premiere Oct. 1 at the Nashville Film Festival; trailer here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Sept. 11, according to Mediabase 24/7.

1. THOMAS RHETT/Angels (Valory) 4619 points
2. BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Religiously (Elektra/Warner/WEA) 3753 points
3. JASON ALDEAN/Try That In A Small Town (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 3740 points
4. LAINEY WILSON/Watermelon Moonshine (Broken Bow) 3644 points 
5. KANE BROWN/Bury Me In Georgia (RCA) 3408 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Sept. 10-11 compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7. 

1. THOMAS RHETT/Angels (Valory) +1679 points
2. JASON ALDEAN/Try That In A Small Town (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +803 points
3. LAINEY WILSON/Watermelon Moonshine (Broken Bow) +676 points
4. MORGAN WALLEN/Thinkin' Bout Me (Big Loud) +650 points
5. JELLY ROLL w/LAINEY WILSON/Save Me (BMG/Stoney Creek) +644 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (9/13): Joe Don Rooney (Rascal Flatts), Hardy, Bobbie Cryner, Aaron Benward, Don Was, Jessica "Carsen" Humphreville, Harry Lyons, Brian Gary, Daniel Miller, Stance Bingham, Matt Maher, the late Bill Monroe.

Bub Crawl: Warner/WMN’s Ashley McBryde and EMI Nashville's Brothers Osborne with the Big D & Bubba crew. Pictured (top, l-r) are McBryde, Derek “Big D” Haskins, Jessica “Carsen” Humphreville, Jonathan Shaffer and Sean “Bubba” Powell; (bottom, l-r) Shaffer, Humphreville, Haskins, TJ Osborne, John Osborne and Powell.

Trudeau About You: Riser House/Columbia’s Mitchell Tenpenny becomes a Toronto Blue Jay for a day while in town for the Highway Desperado Tour stop at Budweiser Stage. Pictured (l-r) are guests Elise Pulver and Dana Alexander, the team's Ben Wagner, Tenpenny and the Sony/Canada's Warren Copnick.