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April 1, 2024 News@CountryAircheck.com

Sleepless In Seattle: As reported via Breaking News, just four hours after Hubbard returned Country to KPNW/Seattle, crosstown Lotus Hot AC KPLZ flipped to gold-based Country at 2pm PT as "Hank FM." Pres. James Kalmenson says, “My father Howard Kalmenson, who founded Lotus in 1962, and I are thrilled to introduce a customized version of Hank FM specifically programmed to serve the vibrant Seattle-Tacoma community."

KPNW's flip to Country this morning at 10am PT, which was reported via Breaking News, and which OM/PD Scott Mahalick assured was not an April Fool's joke, returned "98.9 The Bull" to the market after just 14 months as Adult Alternative (CAT 2/14/23). The station will retain the KPNW call letters. Fitz, who hosted mornings in the market for 14 years, including on then-KNUC from 2019-2021, returns to that role. Says Hubbard/Seattle VP/MM Trip Reeb, "We understand the disappointment that our listeners felt when we made the switch from 98.9 The Bull to Adult Alternative. We want to make things right." Stream here.

Audacy KKWF, which started the day as Seattle's sole Country outlet, has led the market in seven of the last eight months, often notching record high shares in the process. It was the top commercial outlet with a 7.1 share in the February survey (PPM 3/19) and suddenly finds itself in a three-way battle. KPLZ had a 2.1 share last month, while KPNW had a 0.8. Seattle supported three Country FMs from 1994 to 1996 when KMPS, KRPM and KYCW were locked in a format battle until KMPS and KRPM came under common ownership.

Kat's Incredible: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for February 2024 (three-month rolling average, 11/9/23-2/28/24) compared with December and January. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Bakersfield, CA (Market 80)	KUZZ Owens 8.3 (2) - 9.0 (1) - 9.1 (1) KRJK Owens 1.3 (17t) - 1.6 (17t) - 2.2 (12t) Largest share since Sept. 2021. KCWR Owens Classic Country 1.0 (23t) - 1.3 (19) - 1.3 (20)
Knoxville, TN (72)	WIVK Cumulus 10.8 (1) - 11.0 (1) - 11.9 (1) Largest share since Dec. 2022. WCYQ SummitMedia 3.7 (8) - 3.5 (7t) - 4.2 (6) WDKW Midwest Classic Country 1.8 (11t) - 2.0 (11) - 1.7 (11)
Omaha, NE (75)	KXKT iHeartMedia 8.8 (1) - 10.5 (1) - 12.0 (1) Largest share since Spring 2013. KFFF iHeartMedia Classic Country 2.5 (12t) - 2.6 (13) - 3.6 (9)
Tulsa, OK (64)	KWEN Cox 5.6 (4) - 5.8 (4t) - 6.3 (3) KVOO Griffin 4.8 (6) - 4.0 (7t) - 4.5 (7) KXBL Griffin Classic Country 4.4 (7t) - 4.0 (7t) - 4.0 (8t) KTGX iHeartMedia 2.4 (14t) - 2.5 (15) - 2.7 (15)

Vaughn To Magnolia, Wolfe Departs: Quartz Hill Dir./Promotion Ray Vaughn has been named National Dir./Radio & Streaming for Magnolia Music Group, where he reports to VP Heather Propper. Concurrently, Stone Country Dir./Promotion Kerry Wolfe has departed, leaving two confirmed openings at the Brown Sellers Brown labels. No word on plans for the positions. Vaughn joined Quartz Hill in 2020 after nearly a decade as Warner/WAR Mgr./Southwest Radio & Streaming Promotion (CAT 11/30/20). Wolfe joined Stone Country in 2022 after a lengthy stint as iHeartMedia/Milwaukee SVPP & WMIL PD (CAT 2/22/22). Reach Vaughn here and Wolfe here.

Daily Double: As reported earlier via Breaking News, Cumulus KUBL/Salt Lake City PD/afternoon host Travis Daily has been named PD for sisters WKDF & WSM-FM/Nashville. He starts May 1 and will assume the duties from Charlie Cook, who departs May 31 (CAT 2/15). Daily joined KUBL at the end of 2022 (CAT 12/5/22) following 17 years in Tampa (CAT 4/20/18). No word on plans for the position at KUBL. Reach Daily here.

Bones About It: iHeartMedia WGAR/Cleveland PD/morning host Carletta Blake will move to middays effective tomorrow (4/2). She had been in mornings solo since the exit of Steve Razz as part of company wide restructuring last month (CAT 3/14). The Bobby Bones Show, which had been airing from 7pm to 11pm, will move into mornings. Wayne D and Tay, who had been on in middays, move to nights.

One In A Camillion: Big Loud Sr. Dir./A&R Camille Kenny has joined BBRMG/BMG Nashville in the same capacity. “I have always admired Camille’s love of songs and her ability to see greatness in artists,” says VP/A&R Katie Kerkhover, to whom Kenny reports. “Her passion to bring their vision to life with the best songs and a unique approach, is second to none." Kenny joined Big Loud as Coord./A&R in 2018 (CAT 1/24/20) after stops at THiS Music and WME; reach her here.

Reve-News: Townsquare is repurchasing and retiring 1.5 million shares of Class A common stock held by MSG National Properties at $9.76 per share. The total price of $14.6m is an 11% discount from the March 28 closing price and accounts for nearly 10% of total shares outstanding. “With a strong cash balance of $40 million following this transaction, we will retain financial flexibility moving forward and we are confident in our ability to build shareholder value for our investors through long-term net revenue, Adjusted EBITDA and cash flow growth, net leverage reduction, future dividend payments, and potential future share repurchases," says CEO Bill Wilson. Full release here.

How Rate Thou Art: Nielsen Audio will cease measurement in three markets: Greenville, NC (Market No. 99), Visalia, CA (109) and Sunbury, PA (214). The latter two markets received two books per year, which means last Fall's survey is now their last; Greenville received monthly reports, which will conclude with next month's March release. Sunbury had been measured since 2016 and Visalia since 1994, while then-Arbitron started surveying Greenville in 1978.

Subsequently, Eastlan has announced it will begin surveying the Greenville, NC market starting with its monthly April reports. That month it will also add Albany, GA (Nielsen Market No. 227) to its roster of markets, and will increase surveys for Waco, TX (No. 190) from an annual Fall survey to monthly reports.

Six Appeal: CMT Music Awards voters have narrowed down the initial list of 16 Video of the Year contenders (CAT 3/13) to six semi-finalists: Ashley McBryde, “Light On In the Kitchen”; Cody Johnson, “The Painter”; Hardy, “Truck Bed”; Jelly Roll, “Need A Favor”; Kelsea Ballerini, “If You Go Down (I'm Goin' Down Too)"; and Lainey Wilson, “Watermelon Moonshine.” Whoever wins will take home their first trophy in that category. The final three nominees from the second round of social media voting will be announced on show day, April 7. The show airs live from Austin's Moody Center on CBS and Paramount+.

Tour Support: Sam Hunt's North American summer Locked Up Tour kicks off June 28 with an opening weekend in Bend, OR, Auburn, WA and Nampa, ID. The 20-city tour continues through September with dates across the US and Canada, and features support artists Russell Dickerson, George Birge (US) and Dalton Dover (Canada). General on sale begins Friday (4/5) here.

Also on sale Friday (4/5) are tickets to Koe Wetzel's Damn Near Normal World Tour, hitting arenas and amphitheaters across the US, UK and more with Treaty Oak Revival, Kolby Cooper, Pecos & The Rooftops, Tanner Usrey, Dylan Wheeler, Kat Hasty and Kolton Moore on select dates.

Festive All: Old Dominion, Shenandoah, Lee Greenwood, Montgomery Gentry Featuring Eddie Montgomery, Mark Wills, Exile, John Berry, Taylor Hicks, The Malpass Brothers and The Castellows will perform during Alabama's June Jam XVIII June 1 in Fort Payne, AL; tickets here.

ICYMI: Megan Moroney joined CBS Mornings (4/1) to talk CMT Music Awards.

Garth Brooks is launching a new interview series, Artist to Artist, on The Big 615 tomorrow (4/1) with Lainey Wilson.

Shania Twain takes viewers BTS of the "Man! I Feel Like A Woman!” video in the latest installment of Vevo Footnotes, in celebration of the song's 25th anniversary.

Crib Note: Columbia Sr. Dir./Promotion & Artist Development Lauren (Longbine) Bartlett and husband Alec Bartlett welcomed their first child March 30, daughter Briar Kathryn Bartlett. The new mom shared on social media "Thank you Lord for this precious miracle on Easter weekend. We are so blessed and so in love with our girl!" Congratulate her here

Chronicle: Singer and Kentucky Music Hall of Fame member Norah Lee Allen, wife of 54 years to the Oak Ridge Boys' Duane Allen, died March 31 after an extended illness. She was 68. Norah Lee was a singer in her own right, performing as a background vocalist on the Grand Ole Opry for more than 40 years following stints with The Stuart Sisters Trio and The Chuck Wagon Gang. She also had a career in music publishing, working at Benson Publishing Group in the 1970s. Visitation is from 12-2pm tomorrow (4/2) followed by a 2pm service at First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, TN. On April 3, there will be another visitation from 1-2pm followed by a 2pm service at Stuart's Chapel in Lewisburg, KY, with the burial immediately following.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending March 30, according to Mediabase 24/7.

CHAYCE BECKHAM/23 (Wheelhouse)
MORGAN WALLEN f/ERIC CHURCH/Man Made A Bar (Big Loud/EMI Nashville)
SAM HUNT/Outskirts (MCA)
PARKER MCCOLLUM/Burn It Down (MCA)
HARDY/Truck Bed (Big Loud)

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

PARKER MCCOLLUM/Burn It Down (MCA) +720 points
KEITH URBAN/Messed Up As Me (Capitol) +284 points
DILLON CARMICHAEL/Drinkin' Problems (Riser House) +283 points
SARA EVANS/Pride (Melody Place/Born To Fly) +278 points
TYLER HUBBARD/Back Then Right Now (EMI Nashville) +241 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (4/2): Zach Bryan, Emmylou Harris, Chris Janson, Simon Dumas (King Calaway), Buddy Jewell, Dean Townson, Kelli Haywood, Colton Bradford, Garret Doll, the late Leon Wilkeson (Lynyrd Skynyrd), the late Leon Russell.

Tube Check Tonight (4/1): Jelly Roll, Lainey Wilson and more, 2024 iHeartRadio Music Awards (Fox and iHeart stations/app).

Tube Check Tomorrow (4/2): Chris Young, Good Morning America and GMA3 (ABC).

Web Check Tomorrow (4/2): Scotty McCreery, Talk Shop Live at 7pm CT here.

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Roll My Windows Down And WOOZ: The WOOZ/Marion-Carbondale, IL team raises $688,432.45 for St. Jude during the station's radiothon last week. Pictured (front, l-r) are Audrey Kamm, Cam Wherry, Eric Sparks and Dave McKenzie; (second row, l-r) Gayle Bradley, Byron Hetzler, Clark Lance and Jill Libert; (third row, l-r) Ryan Patrick, Paxton Guy, Tracy McSherry-McKown, Rita Felty and Amanda Garver; (back, l-r) Nick Boles, Brandon Herman, Steve Falat, Kent Zimmer, Brian Plout and Josh Gass.

X Marks The Spot: SiriusXM's Buzz Brainard, Macie Banks, Cody Alan and Ania Hammar (l-r) at the opening of the new SXM studios in Nashville.

Young At Chart: RCA's Chris Young celebrates the release of Young Love & Saturday Nights and multiple new RIAA certifications. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Paige Altone, Dennis Reese, Ken Robold and Tracy Fleaner, Young, the label's Steven Hodges, Red Light's Kailyn Finnegan and the label's Caryl Atwood, Jen Way, Liz Cost, Fred Rubenstein and Randy Goodman.

Ring Of Fireball: Warner Music Nashville’s Redferrin is surprised with his welcome letter, membership card and land “deed” as part of The Tennessee Squire Association from Jack Daniels. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Ben Kline, Brown-Forman's Mike Galvin and Greg Luehrs, Redferrin, Jack Daniel's Chris Fletcher and the label's Cris Lacy and Anna Pittman.

Look At This Photograph: CMT Crossroads: Nickelback & Hardy airs Saturday (4/6) at 7pm CT on CMT. Pictured (back, l-r) are CMT's Heather Graffagnino and Margaret Comeaux, Switched On's John Hamlin and CMT's Leslie Fram and Donna Duncan; (front, l-r) Nickelback's Mike Kroeger and Chad Kroeger, Hardy and Nickelback's Daniel Adair and Ryan Peake.

Signage: Back Blocks' Tucker Wetmore signs with WME. Pictured (l-r) are BB's Autumn Ledgin and Rakiyah Marshall, Wetmore and WME's Carrie Murphy and Braeden Rountree.