January 9, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

I Was Country When Country Wasn't Co: "Doing this alongside Jordan [Pettit] feels full circle — we started in the industry together, and this moment is especially meaningful," says newly announced (Breaking News) Big Loud Co-President Stacy Blythe, who will also continue leading the label's promotion efforts. Pettit will officially step into his role as Co-President Feb. 2 after eight years with Opry Entertainment Group (CAT 2/5/18) and previous label stops at Warner Music Group, Sony Music Nashville, Universal Music Group and Universal South/Show Dog. Prior to joining Big Loud in 2015, Blythe spent time at BMLG, Stoney Creek, 1720 Entertainment and Category 5; reach her here.

Latimer Shifts: Warner Chappell Music Coord./A&R Sara Latimer departed the company today (1/9) for an unspecified new role at Eastside Avenue Publishing. She joined Warner Chappell as Coord./Admin & Production in 2022 and shifted to her most recent role the following year. Previously, she was with the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Reach her here.

Wrighteous Gemstones: Rhett Akins, Jim Beavers and The Warren Brothers have been added to the lineup for Bob Kingsley’s Acoustic Alley (CAT 10/22/25), taking place March 19 during CRS in Legends D-G at the Omni Nashville Hotel. CRS 2026 takes place March 18-20 in Nashville; register here.

Festive All: Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Dwight Yoakam, Rascal Flatts, Riley Green, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, Cody Johnson, Parker McCollum, Jon Pardi, Randy Houser and Cross Canadian Ragweed are among the artists performing at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo March 2-22 at NRG Stadium, alongside first-time performers Russell Dickerson, Megan Moroney, Shaboozey, Red Clay Strays and Koe Wetzel. Tickets (1/15) and schedule here.

Write On Time: Nominations are now open for the 2026 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards. Two subsequent rounds of voting will take place, with winners recognized during the New Faces of Country Music Show March 20 at the Omni Nashville Hotel. Submit nominees including Station, OM/PD, Personality, VP/Promotion, Regional, DSP of the Year and more here.

Tour Support: Avery Anna's eight-date Girl Of Constant Sorrow Tour kicks off in Cincinnati March 12, and tickets go on sale Monday (1/12) here.

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

Go inside the CRS '26 planning process in Country Aircheck Weekly.
KNCI/Sacramento is adding Joe Maumee in mornings and AJ Maguire in afternoons. (1/8)
Amaturo Sonoma/Santa Rosa, CA VP/Programming & Operations Jim Murphy is retiring. (1/7)
iHeartMedia SVP/Programming Joey Brooks exited. (1/6)
Connoisseur made changes in mornings in markets including KUPL/Portland, OR, where a local show will debut Jan. 20. (1/5)
Jay Cruze was upped to BMLG National Dir./Radio Strategy. (1/5)
Chronicle: Jim McBride.

ICYMI: Jay DeMarcus' 13-year-old son Dylan DeMarcus joined Rascal Flatts onstage to perform "Bless The Broken Road" during the band's performance for New Year's Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash. A Dylan DeMarcus cover of the song has since been released by Red Street as his debut track.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Jan. 8, according to Mediabase 24/7.

BLAKE SHELTON/Stay Country Or Die Tryin' (Wheelhouse) 4581 points
HARDY/Favorite Country Song (Big Loud) 3838 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 3435 points
PARMALEE/Cowgirl (Stoney Creek) 3223 points
MEGAN MORONEY/6 Months Later (Col. NY/Columbia) 3178 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Jan. 4-8, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

BLAKE SHELTON/Stay Country Or Die Tryin' (Wheelhouse) +3516 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +1254 points
TUCKER WETMORE/Brunette (Back Blocks/Mercury) +824 points
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (MCA/Valory) +794 points
RILEY GREEN/Change My Mind (Nash. Harbor) +711 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (1/10): Allen Butler, Van Haze, Robert Turner, Tige Rodgers.

Sunday's Birthdays (1/11): Ernest, Dennis Edwards, Lauren Stephens, Chelsea Thomas, the late Goldie Hill, the late Naomi Judd.

Monday's Birthdays (1/12): William Lee Golden (Oak Ridge Boys), Keith Anderson, Ricky Van Shelton, Brandon Lay, Amber Parker, Traci Todd, the late Tex Ritter, the late Ray Price.

Tube Check Monday (1/12): Ty Myers, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon (NBC).

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Lone Star & Strings: River House/Warner/WAR’s Hudson Westbrook (in hat) with Audacy's Justin Cole, Tim Roberts and Katie Neal (l-r).

Better Offman: Singer/songwriter Hayden Coffman celebrates the RIAA gold certification of “Better Off." Pictured (front, l-r) are CmdShft's Morgan Mills, Coffman, UTA's Haley Fairman, Perk PR's Trevor Perkins, Rise Music Group's Tanner Louis and TM Alexis Shackelford; (middle, l-r) CmdShft's Alexa Shaffer, producer Grady Saxman, UTA's Lauren Holland and Perk PR's Natalie Blakely; (back, l-r) CmdShft's Landon Collins and Jarrod Cooper, songwriter Ethan Escue, business mgr. Sean Coffman and UTA's Brian Hill.