January 14, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Aloha: Audacy KSON/San Diego afternoon host Kimo Jensen, known as "the Smilin' Hawaiian," will retire in mid-June after more than 30 years there, and relocate to Italy with his wife, Shannon. The station will celebrate him March 19 with Kimo's Kegger, headlined by Rodney Atkins at local venue The Sound. See video of Jensen sharing his news here. RVPP Scott Roddy tells Country Aircheck, "Kimo is not just an air talent, he's part of our national imaging team and a brilliant creative. For KSON and So Cal, he's family. The talent who replaces him will have a high bar. We'll take our time getting the absolute perfect personality in his position. Until then, we're gonna celebrate him as much as possible!"

Pink Pony Curb: Curb Records Dir./Midwest Promotion Samantha DePrez has been upped to Sr. Dir./Promotion. “Sam has been a constant force at Curb — thoughtful, driven, and always focused on how to best serve the artists and the team," says SVP/Promotion RJ Meacham. DePrez joined the label 17 years ago as an intern and rose to her most recent position in 2017 (CAT 3/31/17). Reach her here.

Live And Hern: As announced this morning via Breaking News, CMA CEO Sarah Trahern will retire at the end of the year, saying she is “incredibly proud of what we’ve accomplished together in service of this industry and its people” and “deeply grateful for the community that makes country music what it is.” Trahern joined the CMA in 2014 (CAT 11/12/13) following her tenure as SVP/GM of Great American Country (GAC). The CMA Board of Directors has formed a search committee and retained Buffkin Baker; additional details regarding the search will be announced in February.

Office Culture: Parking Management Mgr./HR Elizabeth Hagler and Concord Music Group Dir./Accounts Receivable Julie Alcaraz have joined the ACM as Head/Operations, People & Culture and Sr. Accountant/Finance & Accounting, respectively. Additionally, ACM Lifting Lives Asst. Brooke Boyd has been named Coord. after almost two years with the organization (CAT 2/15/24).

Speed Reeder: OM Bryan Reeder has been promoted to GM at HEH Communications' KSAM/Huntsville, TX and Classic Hits sister KHVL. He succeeds retiring MM Tim Johnson, who is returning to the Midwest to care for his father (CAT 8/26/25). Reeder joined the company as OM and KSAM morning co-host in 2015, and will continue in his on-air role until a successor is named. Reach him here.

Tour Support: Clay Walker hits the road on his 29-city Doin' What I Love Tour Jan. 23 in Tulsa. Tickets here. Additional shows will be announced in the coming months.

Chris Cagle will mark the 25th anniversary of his debut album with his Play It Loud 25th Anniversary Tour, kicking off Feb. 13 in Tampa, following a Feb. 5 appearance at SiriusXM in Nashville. Details on attending the SXM taping here; tour tickets here.

Love & Marriage: Premiere Networks and iHeartPodcasts will launch weekly podcast Married To The Music Feb. 13 with Nashville-based iHeartMedia/Premiere producer and country music reporter Hanley Riggs. It will take listeners "behind the scenes and into the lives of country music artists and their spouses," with initial episodes set to feature conversations with Sara Brice, Meghan Patrick, Kristen Brust, Hally Williams Cooper, Hannah Ellis & Nick Wayne, Chloe Crawford (engaged to Shane Profitt) and Peyton Niemann. New episodes will be published on Thursdays. Listen to the trailer here.

Grace Period: The deadline for submitting to The AWM Foundation's 51st Annual Gracie Awards has been extended to Jan. 29, while the regular deadline, with no additional fee, is Jan. 22. The awards celebrate outstanding programming by, for and about women — while funding scholarships and programs that support the next generation of women in media. Details here.

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

Former CMT staffers shared memories from their time with the network in Country Aircheck Weekly.
Sony Music Publishing Nashville acquired Big Yellow Dog Music. (1/13)
WJEN/Rutland, VT midday host Erin Bourne and afternoon personality Jay Kennedy moved to nights and middays, respectively, and Chris O'Neil returned in afternoons. (1/12)
Chronicle: Doug James.

ICYMI: Jelly Roll is among the artists with items included in the Julien’s MusiCares Charity Relief Auction. Bidding is open here.

Tim McGraw will headline the 2026 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series during the first intermission of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Boston Bruins game Feb. 1 at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa.

The Bobby Bones Show is among the nominees in the music category for the iHeart Podcast Awards, set for March 16 during SXSW at ACL Live in Austin. See all the nominees and vote here.

Chronicle: Former Country radio programmer "Ron Ellis" Whiddon died Sept. 30 at the age of 61. His 20-year radio career included programming stints at WQIK in his Jacksonville, FL hometown, WTDR/Charlotte, Clear Channel/Fort Myers, FL (including WCKT) and WBEE/Rochester, NY. More recently, he worked at the Ritz-Carlton in Amelia Island, FL and did voice work on the side. See his obituary here. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in his name.

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

MEGAN MORONEY/6 Months Later (Col. NY/Columbia) 4165 points
HARDY/Favorite Country Song (Big Loud) 4159 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 3477 points
BLAKE SHELTON/Stay Country Or Die Tryin' (Wheelhouse) 3207 points
JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 3207 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Jan. 11-13, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

MEGAN MORONEY/6 Months Later (Col. NY/Columbia) +2821 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +1138 points
RILEY GREEN/Change My Mind (Nash. Harbor) +998 points
HARDY/Favorite Country Song (Big Loud) +964 points
JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +640 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (1/15): Kurt Howell, Lee Adams, David Lynn Jones, Tracey Myers, the late Mike Borchetta.

Swamp Meet: Valory's Preston Cooper (c) with WTGE/Baton Rouge's Jimmy Brooks, Bri Lynn and Brittany Rose, and the label's Chris Waters (l-r) during a station visit.

Wife Style: Stoney Creek's Atlus (c) with WPOC/Baltimore and WMZQ/Washington D.C.'s Jeff Kapugi and wife Laurie.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Julianna Rankin (c) commemorates her Big Loud Texas signing with the label's Jon Randall and Miranda Lambert, Red Light's Allie Sisoian and the label's Brendon Anthony.