Thomas Departs: Cumulus WLWI/Montgomery, AL PD/afternoon host Greg "Thomas" Tomasello exited Monday (8/10) as companywide cuts continue. The 38-year radio veteran joined WLWI from the Townsquare/Tuscaloosa OM position in 2016 after 14 years in that market (CAT 9/8/16). In a Facebook post, he shared, "Radio has been more than a job to me — it’s been my passion for nearly four decades. What comes next, I don’t know yet. But I’m forever grateful for the listeners, coworkers, friends and family who have been part of this journey." Reach him here.

Baylee Departs: Seven Mountains WFGE/State College, PA PD/afternooner Bryan Baylee has departed after more than three years (CAT 3/20/23). His Seven Mountain duties also included middays on AC WMXO Olean, NY, and afternoons on Top 40 WPKB Parkersburg, WV. Prior to WFGE, he was WCHK/Ocean City, MD/morning personality, and previously spent time at WCZX/Poughkeepsie, NY; WGGY/Wilkes-Barre, PA and WRJY/Brunswick, GA. No word on plans for the WFGE position. Reach Baylee here.

You've Got Mail: Former Erv Woolsey Company staffer Dottie Oelhafen has founded fan mail management company The Artist Desk Co. Oelhafen spent 40 years working for EWC prior to its closure last month (CAT 7/31). Her new company is "designed to help artists maintain meaningful connections with their fans while eliminating the administrative back end for artist teams." Reach Oelhafen here.

Wake Boarding: Make Wake Artists has partnered with Adam Hale's One Twenty One Management, home to Muscadine Bloodline, Ben Chapman and Josh Weathers. Joining Hale in the partnership is Ivan “Churro” Haro, who serves as day-to-day manager for One Twenty One's three acts. Haro has previous experience working with Morgan Wallen, Tyler Rich and Matt Stell.

Sands Through The Power Glass: Following the open nomination period, voting is underway for Country Aircheck's Power 31. Industry leaders with the greatest influence in developing Artists & Music can be ranked here; those influencing Airplay & Exposure here. Valid industry email address is required; final ranking will be featured in Country Aircheck's 20th anniversary September print issue.

Tour Support: Continuing to roll out one market at a time, Garth Brooks has announced Washington, DC as the fourth city on his Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour, launching later this month in Indianapolis. He'll play DC's Capital One Arena Sept. 18-19, with more shows likely to be added, as they were in the first three cities, all of which have him scheduled to play four shows, including matinee performances. Tickets (8/21) here.

Austin Snell will embark on his 12-city Colors Tour Oct. 22 in Grand Rapids, with subsequent stops including Chicago, Toronto and Washington, DC before wrapping Nov. 21 in Lexington, KY; tickets here.

Suno Wrestling: BMG and AI music creation company Suno have formed a global alliance covering BMG’s recorded and music publishing repertoire. The deal is part of Suno's upcoming launch of its first music model developed in partnership with the music industry. A release says, "The agreement ensures that BMG artists and songwriters who choose to participate have their rights protected and are compensated for their music, while also settling prior use of BMG recordings and publishing works." The release also notes that "the partnership reflects the companies’ shared commitment to the responsible development of AI music tools."

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

• The 2026 airplay race is getting tight in Country Aircheck Weekly, and the Country Radio Hall of Fame welcomes a new class. (8/10)
• Dilan "Hef" Ames and Alyssa Ramsey joined Hey Now. (8/10)
• Taylor Swift, Lyle Lovett, Bruce Channel, Shawn Camp and Lee Thomas Miller named to Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. (8/11)
• Former Warner Records Rock/Alternative & Country VP Ben Farber moved to full time at label/management company Version III. (8/11)

ICYMI: Tanya Tucker testified before the Texas Senate Committee on Business and Commerce yesterday (8/11) in opposition of the installation of electric transmission lines through her property, ending with an acapella snippet of her "Texas (When I Die)." Watch here.

BMI will honor Sheryl Crow with its Troubadour Award during a private event at its Nashville office Sept. 14. The award "recognizes a songwriter who has made a profound impact within the American music landscape and whose work continues to set the pace for generations to follow."

The KFRG/Riverside listener who posted the video of Shaboozey crashing a wedding on a river float gave the scoop to the station's Kelli & Anthony in the Morning. Listen at the 19-minute mark here.

Life Note: Em.Co's Jack Purcell will receive a new kidney (donated by his 42-year-old niece) tomorrow (8/13) at 4:45pm CT, as he has been battling Polycystic Kidney Disease (CAT 4/8). The kidney will be donated in Minneapolis in the morning, then flown to Nashville. Noting his happy hour-esque surgery schedule, Purcell would love an industry toast at that time, joking, "It's an open tab. My credit card's still working." In pre-op, he plans to blast a Pitbull-inspired song, "Jack Got  A Kidney," created by a work colleague.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for August 11, according to Mediabase.

1. ELLA LANGLEY & MORGAN WALLEN/I Can't Love You Anymore (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers/Big Loud) 4528 points
2. LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) 4401 points
3. BAILEY ZIMMERMAN/Chevy Silverado (Atlantic/Warner/WRN) 3888 points
4. KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA) 3435 points
5. STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) 3359 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for August 9-11, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.  

1. MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +1876 points
2. KOE WETZEL f/ELLA LANGLEY/Jaded (Col. NY/Records Nashville) +1517 points
3. LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) +663 points
4. KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA) +629 points
5. ALEXANDRA KAY/Straight For The Heart (Wheelhouse) +593 points

There's A Few In Here Tonight: Back Blocks/Mercury's Tucker Wetmore celebrates No. 1 "Brunette" at BMI/Nashville. Pictured (back, l-r) are MCA’s Damon Moberly, BMI’s Leslie Roberts, UMPG’s Missy Roberts, Hang Your Hat’s Jake Gear, Studio Bank’s Kari Barnhart, Back Blocks Music’s Rakiyah Marshall, Concord’s Matt Turner; and (front, l-r) writers Chase McGill and Josh Miller, Wetmore, and writer Blake Pendergrass. Not pictured: writer/producer Chris LaCorte.

Don't Mind If BWI Do: Nashville Harbor's Riley Green runs the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Bridget Herrmann and Jimmy Harnen, WPOC/WMZQ's Kelly Ford, Green, the stations' Jeff Kapugi, Laurie Kapugi and NH's Ryan Dokke.

Write On The Money: Alan Jackson is presented with a plaque commemorating 85.5 million in RIAA certifications at his Last Call Nashville show (6/27). Pictured (l-r) are RIAA's Morna Willens and Jackie Jones, Jackson, Denise Jackson and MCA's Mike Harris and Stephanie Wright.

Signage: Creative Nation signs artist/songwriter Hampton Hall. Pictured (back, l-r) are Luke Laird, Cole Brown, Brandon Gill, Abigail Bruner, Jayne Hamblin; and (front, l-r) Abby Holcomb, Beth Laird, Hall, Alex Albanese Graham, Emily Furman and Kelsey Granda. His debut CN Records single "Run From It" will be released Aug. 21.