November 11, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com

Given Name: In a move Chair/Pres. Cris Lacy says "formalizes the cross-pollination that we’ve been developing over the years with our Los Angeles colleagues across areas such as A&R, marketing strategy, data/research, business affairs and radio promotion," Warner Music Nashville has been re-branded as Warner Records Nashville, with Lacy solely at the helm, as reported this morning via Breaking News. Co-Chair/Co-Pres, Gregg Nadel shifts to an as-yet-unspecified new role within parent Warner Records Group. Lacy was elevated from EVP/A&R to Co-Pres. with Ben Kline at the 2022 departure of Chair/CEO John Esposito (Breaking News 6/2/2022). Replacing Kline, Elektra Pres. Nadel joined the Nashville division last year (Breaking News 9/24/2024).

Empire Building: Warner Music Nashviile Sr. Dir./Digital Content Strategy & Partnerships Bri Small has joined Empire as VP/Digital, and multi-genre songwriter, producer and artist Zak Waters has been named Dir./A&R. Both are based in Nashville. Prior to her nearly seven years with Warner, Small was Coord./Digital at NBCUniversal in Los Angeles. Waters has co-written and produced multiple RIAA Gold and Platinum releases, and toured internationally as both a frontman and musical director.

Just To Dee You Smile: Former WRUF/Gainesville, FL weekend host Becky Dee has joined MARC Classic Country WPLL/Gainesville for mornings, her first full-time radio job. Her radio experience includes part-time roles at WAPE/Jacksonville and WAEV/Savannah. WPLL lost previous morning host Heather Jennings to an automobile accident last December (CAT 12/4/24).

Veep Leaps: As reported via Breaking News, MCA Sr. Dir./Streaming Tatiana Angulo and Sr. Dir./Commercial Partnerships Taylor Viegut have risen to VP/Streaming and VP/E-Commerce & Business Development, respectively. In her new role, Angulo will handle the Mercury artists, while fellow VP/Streaming Vipin Reddy covers the MCA roster. Viegut's newly created role will address the label's expanding e-commerce initiatives. Before joining in 2022, Angulo founded her own Isa + Jude; reach her here. Viegut has been with the label group for five years, and prior stops include CMA and Crowd Surf ; reach her here.

Yule Time: MacDonald Garber WLXV/Cadillac, MI is now simulcasting the all-Christmas programming of AC sister station WLXT/Petoskey, MI. The Country format is still streaming online here, and PD Dean O Armstrong tells Country Aircheck, "The plan is to return to normal the day after Christmas."

Tour Support: Russell Dickerson has added stops at Red Rocks (5/13), The Greek Theatre (5/20) and Gallagher Square at Petco Park (5/21) to his Russellmania Tour 2026. Full schedule and tickets (11/14) here.

Riley Green will play for US sailors, service members and their families at three military bases in March: US Navy Base Fleet Yokosuka in Kanagawa, Japan (March 9); Naval Air Facility Atsugi in Kanagawa (March 10); and Joint Base Pearl Harbor in Hickman, HI (March 22).

Split Decision: New KYGO/Denver PD Shawn Patrick talks about his unique path from a turned-down bowling scholarship to Country radio, his approach to leadership and making radio cool again. Plus, see which stations led Q3 CDM drive-time, and hear Scotty Hasting share the music that carried him through his time in the service. It's all in this week’s Country Aircheck Weekly.

Special Delivery: Compass Media Networks is producing a three-hour edition of Y’all Access With Kelly Sutton for The 59th Annual CMA Awards, featuring conversations and music from the show's nominees, performers and host. The special has 12 local minutes per hour, no network commercials, and is available to air Nov, 14-19. Contact Compass' Doug Ingold for details here.

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

Kris Valentine was named Leighton Dir./Country Programming. (11/10)
Vince Gill will receive the CMA's 2025 Willie Nelson Lifetime Achievement Award. (11/10)
Michael Young joined Sony Music Publishing as Chief Information Officer. (11/10)

Bits & Pieces: Brandon Lake has been named ASCAP's Christian Music Songwriter of the Year for the second time. He will be recognized at the ASCAP Nashville Songwriters Celebration Nov. 17 in Nashville.

Hubbard WUBE/Cincinnati morning host Jesse Tack joined Jo Dee Messina at her concert Friday (11/7) to play the first live round of "Name that '90s country in 1 second." Find out who won here.

The application window for Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio, Inc. (MIW)'s Erica Farber Mentorship in Management Program is open through Dec. 5. The year-long program is focused on elevating women in senior and rising management roles across sales, programming, marketing, digital and operations. Find the criteria and apply here.

Crib Note: Cody Johnson and wife Brandi welcomed son Jaycee Daniel Johnson Oct. 21. Johnson broke the news while taping his appearance on this weekend's Country Countdown USA with Lon Helton. Jaycee joins sisters Clara, 10, and Cori, eight. Cody Johnson remains off the road recuperating from surgery to repair a ruptured ear drum.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Nov. 10, according to Mediabase 24/7.

CHASE MATTHEW/Darlin' (Warner/WAR) 4519 points
PARMALEE/Cowgirl (Stoney Creek) 3129 points
RILEY GREEN f/ELLA LANGLEY/Don't Mind If I Do (Nash. Harbor) 3062 points
LAINEY WILSON/Somewhere Over Laredo (Broken Bow) 2922 points
PARKER MCCOLLUM/What Kinda Man (MCA) 2791 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Nov. 9-10, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

CHASE MATTHEW/Darlin' (Warner/WAR) +921 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +753 points
MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud) +606 points
RILEY GREEN f/ELLA LANGLEY/Don't Mind If I Do (Nash. Harbor) +524 points
LUKE COMBS/Days Like These (Columbia) +415 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (11/12): Barbara Fairchild, Jim Catino, Dingo O'Brien.

Tube Check Tomorrow (11/12): Brad Paisley, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC).

Web Check: SonicTrek.ai (CAT 10/15) will host a free webinar and Q&A session about AI-infused audio tomorrow (11/12) at 11am ET/8am PT, led by the company's Mike Agovino, Joel Denver and Dennis Constantine; register here.

Sleigher: Warner/WAR's Chase Matthew, Triple Tigers' Shane Profitt, Big Loud's Lauren Alaina, Core/Mercury's Josh Ross, EMI's Tucker Wetmore and Records Nashville's George Birge play WQYK/Tampa's annual guitar pull. Pictured (back, l-r) are EMI/Mercury's Trudie Daniell, the station's Rick Thomas and Kathy Suzewitz, Big Loud's Sarah Headley, Mathew, Profitt, Triple Tigers' Blake Nixon, Alaina, Ross, Wetmore, Birge, the station's Kevin Ebel and Records Nashville's Josh Easler; (front, l-r) EMI's Jimmy Rector, Big Loud's Lauren "LT" Thomas, the station's Launa Stringfield, Kevin Cummings and J.R. Jaus and Warner's Michael Chase.

Better Dig 10: Nashville Harbor's The Band Perry play KILT/Houston's 10 Man Jam. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Stella Prado, the duo's Johnny Costello, the station's Nick Russo, the duo's Kimberly Perry, the station's Bruce Logan and Chris Huff and the label's Ryan Dokke.

Chasing Stars: RCA's Nate Smith (c) with Audacy's Justin Cole (l) and Tim Roberts at Stars & Strings.

Select Group: Columbia/Records Nashville's Ty Myers with the label's Jamice Jennings and WCOL/Columbus, OH's Dan E. Zuko (top) and WKKO/Toledo's Jerry Mac, Jennings and iHeart's Ashley Wilson.