August 25, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

We Will Always Love You: The industry is mourning Country Music Hall of Famer Dolly Parton, who passed today (8/25) at 80, as reported this morning via Breaking News. At Parton's request, her nephew, Bryan Seaver, broke the news to fans on social media here. "Along with the music, our biggest loss today is her work as a philanthropist and the genuine difference she has made in people’s lives throughout the world," says CMA CEO Sarah Trahern. ACM CEO Emeritus Damon Whiteside says, "Her incomparable spirit lives on through her music, her boundless legacy, and the endless inspiration she leaves behind." And Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum CEO Kyle Young says, "Parton’s legacy is not celebrity, but humanity. She was a champion of equality and literacy." Recent Parton projects include a Broadway run of her Dolly: A True Original Musical , set to open in January (CAT 7/7), and her Songteller Hotel and museum in Nashville. She had also been set to receive the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award Sept. 16. A private service is being planned for immediate family. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to Parton’s Imagination Library.

Heart Of The Smokies: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for July 2026 (three-month rolling average, 4/30-7/22) compared with May and June. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Bakersfield, CA (Market 83)	KUZZ Owens 7.1 (3) - 6.2 (3) - 6.6 (3) KCWR Owens Classic Country 1.4 (16t) - 1.4 (14t) - 1.3 (15) KRJK Owens 0.5 (20t) - 0.3 (25t) - 0.5 (24)
Knoxville, TN (71)	WCYQ SummitMedia 3.7 (5t) - 5.9 (4) - 4.8 (4t) WDKW Midwest Classic Country 1.9 (9t) - 2.1 (9) - 1.5 (10t) WIVK Cumulus Does not subscribe.
Omaha, NE (74)	KXKT iHeartMedia 8.7 (1) - 8.9 (1) - 9.8 (1) KFFF iHeartMedia Classic Country 3.3 (9) - 3.3 (11t) - 2.3 (15)
Tulsa, OK (63)	KVOO Griffin Classic Country 5.1 (3) - 4.7 (3t) - 5.3 (2) KXBL Griffin 3.9 (5t) - 4.7 (3t) - 4.9 (5) KTGX iHeartMedia 2.1 (10) - 2.6 (10) - 2.7 (10) KWEN Zoellner Does not subscribe.

Cup Of Ambition: Midwest Communications' Top 40 KOYY/Fargo, ND Asst. Brand Mgr./afternoon host Joel de Blonk has segued to sister KVOX as Brand Mgr/afternoon host, assuming duties previously handled by OM Corey “Zero” Schaffer. "As a kid, I spent a year living in Fargo, and Froggy 99.9 was part of my story," de Blonk tells Country Aircheck. "If you told younger me that one day I’d be the Brand Manager of Froggy, I’d probably be doing the boot scootin’ boogie!" Prior to joining KOYY in 2022, de Blonk spent more than four years in afternoons at Country KKQQ/Sioux Falls, SD. Reach him here.

Here You Come Again: Stella Lefty will embark on her 18-date Long Way Home Tour Jan. 9 in Detroit, with two Canadian dates and stops in U.S. cities including Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, San Francisco, Nashville, Chicago and more. Tickets (8/28) here.

Aaron Lewis' 12-date solo Acoustic Origins Tour begins Nov. 4 in Lubbock, TX; ticket info here.

Steady As The Rain: Stella Lefty has been added to the lineup for the Sept. 18-19 iHeartRadio Music Festival at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, joining the previously announced Kenny Chesney and Lainey Wilson (CAT 6/2). The Ryan Seacrest-hosted festival will broadcast live on iHeartMedia stations in more than 150 markets. Disney+ and Hulu will livestream all performances. Tickets here.

Shine: The 19th ACM Honors brought artists and industry together in Nashville for a night of tributes, performances and memorable moments from Dierks Bentley, Brenda Lee and more honoring this year’s special award recipients, and Garth Brooks launched his Blame It All On My Roots Arena Tour in Indianapolis with a hit-heavy set, a throwback “drum pod” and an entrance from inside a piano. Read more in Country Aircheck Weekly.

If You Hadn't Been There: In the wake of Dolly Parton's passing (8/25) SuiteRadio's Rowdy Yates has compiled a six-song special honoring her life and music. E-mail here for affiliation information.

Just Because I'm A Woman: Katie Atkin and her country music podcast and digital brand Girls in Low Places has signed with WME. Guests on the podcast have included Luke Bryan, Blake Shelton, Thomas Rhett, Shaboozey, Hardy, Cody Johnson, Lainey Wilson, Carly Pearce and Zach Top. Episodes are available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube.

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

Saga SVP/Content Pat Paxton resigned, and Scott Chase and Ryan Ploeckelman were named co-Group PDs. (8/24)
Anna Widmer was named Riser House VP/Promo. (8/24)
Erin Austin succeeds Nick Russo in afternoons at KILT/Houston. (8/24)

Light Of A Clear Blue Morning: ABC News Dir./Entertainment Content Andrea Dresdale has departed after 18 1/2 years and is launching Dresdale Media, offering freelance consulting, media strategy and special projects across the music and entertainment industries. She is also open to full-time opportunities. Dresdale's prior roles include Westwood One, Music Choice and MJI. Reach her at 516-509-4573 or here.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Aug. 24, according to Mediabase.

LUKE COMBS/Be By You (Columbia) 4464 points
KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA) 4393 points
STELLA LEFTY/Boston (Sandlot/Atlantic Outpost) 3816 points
KENNY CHESNEY/Carry On (Hey Now) 3436 points
TAYLOR SWIFT/I Knew It, I Knew You (Disney/Republic/MCA) 3353 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for August 23-24, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase.

KANE BROWN/Woman (RCA) +2026 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +696 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +648 points
JOHN MORGAN/Kid Myself (Night Train/Broken Bow) +425 points
BLAKE WHITEN/Bet On That (Enchntmnt/Warner/WAR) +416 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (8/26): Brian Kelley, Jimmy Olander (Diamond Rio), Sloane Cavitt-Logue, Doug Rich, the late Don Bowman.

Coast Of Many Colors: Mercury's Tucker Wetmore (c) with KKJG/San Luis Obispo, CA's Pepper Daniels, the label's Briarman Whitfield, KUZZ/Bakersfield's Ness Hernandez and Brent Michaels and KSNI/Santa Maria, CA's Jay Turner (l-r) in Paso Robles, CA.

Rockin' Years: Broken Bow's Jason Aldean (top) and Warner's Chase Matthew with KSKS/Fresno, CA's Joe Castelan and Kris Daniels.

You're The Only One: Family trio The Sound (front, l-r: Jacob Mills, Levi Mills and Rob Mills) sign with Red Street. Pictured with (back, l-r) the label's Mike Craft, Blake McAllister, Jay DeMarcus, Alex Valentine and Patrick Waters.