Issue 4 In Memoriam: Jeff Walker - Country Aircheck - August... · In Memoriam: Jeff Walker A friend to many and a champion for all of us who love and work in country music and radio,
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Boston Fan Crowder: Blue Chair/Columbia’s Kenny Chesney (c) with WKLB/Boston’s Mike Brophey and Ginny Rogers as he closes out The Big Revival Tour with back-to-back sold out shows at Gillette Stadium, bringing his career attendance over 13 shows at the venue to roughly 750,000. Also pictured (inset) is co-headliner Jason Aldean in a shirt provided by the station.
Blount Force Drama Five years ago, Benton Blount’s radio tour ended abruptly as Golden Music closed its doors (BN 6/21/10). Now his future looks brighter as he heads into tomorrow’s (9/1) semi-finals on NBC-TV’s America’s Got Talent – potentially $1 million, a record deal and a Las Vegas residency kind of bright. Country Aircheck caught up with him between rehearsals to talk about how he got from there to here. Blount had been playing nationally, sometimes barely breaking even, when an opportunity to audition came to him through a friend. Blount cleared several levels of online tryouts before being invited to join. “First was the video submission,” he says. “Then
In Memoriam: Jeff Walker A friend to many and a champion for all of us who love and work in country music and radio, Jeff Walker was laid to rest Friday (8/28). Several who knew him well remember him here: Campbell Entertainment Group’s Craig Campbell: I was Jeff Walker’s first intern after he started AristoMedia, then Aristo
Music Associates. He introduced me to every-one who walked through the door, dragged me to every meeting and invited me to every party. He taught me everything I know about publicity, running a business and balancing work and fam-ily. He took great delight in nurturing people and watching them grow, whether they stayed with the company or moved on to other opportunities. I already miss him. Keith Urban: Jeff
was one of the early believers in me. He was a great guy to have on your side, and if he truly felt there was something there for oth-ers to discover, he was a passionate and effective force in getting people to the gig. I know he wrangled plenty to mine when there were few to none! My heart and prayers go out to his family and friends. I love you, Jeff! CRB’s Bill Mayne: Through the shock, numbness, sadness and everything else we are all experiencing with this tragic loss, I have realized an amazing truth: Jeff Walker has impacted more lives than I could have ever imagined possible. The sheer magnitude of love and caring I have witnessed is simply staggering. This has led me to focus on the incredible impact our always up-beat, positive, impish, humorous, energetic “spark plug” of a friend has had on a worldwide community of friends and colleagues. (continued on page 7)
Gotta Hand It To Him: Circa 1986 are (l-r) Jeff Walker, AristoMedia’s Darlene Williams, artist Rusty Buddy and AristoMedia’s Laurie Larson and Craig Campbell.
Oh Say Can You See: Arista’s Lee Roy Parnell with the uber-patriotic staff of KRMD/Shreveport, LA ahead of the station’s 101 Days Of Summer Free Concert in the late ‘90s. Pictured (back, l-r) are KRMD’s Shawn McCalister, Jackie Day Whaley, Parnell, Alice Canham, Rick Stephenson; (front, l-r) are John Swan, Gary McCoy, Julie Ryan and James Anthony. Send your vintage pics to [email protected].
it was me on Skype playing for a panel of producers, and the third online audition was playing for more decision makers. Then they finally said, ‘We’d love for you to come to New Jersey and audition in front of a live audience and the judges.’” Three AGT appearances later, Blount says things have already changed for him. “People who already liked the music and what I do actually treat me a little differently now,” he says. “And people who’ve never heard of me before come up and say, ‘Aren’t you that guy from the television show?’ And that was even just after the audition.” Not surprisingly, Blount’s fan base has multiplied, and he’s seeing a lot of online support from friends he made in radio five years ago. “It’s just them saying, ‘I believe in what Benton’s doing and you should too, and at least check it out,’” he says. “Just knowing that they still believe is a pretty awesome thing.” Ultimately Blount wants the ability to support his wife and son doing what he loves, even without radio if he must. “I don’t want to just be the part time weekend musician who goes out never knowing if I’m actually going to bring money back home to my wife,” he says. “I want to establish myself and be successful enough that if she chooses not to work, she doesn’t have to. I just want to know 1,000 people will show up when I play, listen to my music and want me to record more.” Regardless of what happens tomorrow, AGT is a career milestone. “I’ve gotten affirmation that I’m doing the right thing,” he says. “When the record label closed right when I felt like something good was about to happen, it left me with these questions – would I have been successful? Would I still be playing? Would people have liked it? The show has answered those questions. I can live the rest of my life knowing I’m doing what I should be doing.” Watch his quarter-final performance here. Follow Blount and #TeamBenton here. –Jess Wright
Chart Chat Congrats to Sam Hunt, Royce Risser, Katie Dean and the whole MCA promotion team on landing this week’s No. 1 with “House Party.” The song is Hunt’s third chart-topper in three tries and reaches the pinnacle 62 weeks after “Leave The Night On” debuted at No. 36 – remarkably fast for a new artist. And kudos to George Briner and the Valory crew for notching 35 adds on Brantley Gilbert’s “Stone Cold Sober,” topping this week’s board.
Let Me Be Blount: Benton Blount isn’t sure where to look to acknowledge his cheering fans before he’s named a finalist, and his inner focus was on his reaction. “My raw emotion is like my personality,” he says. “I’m super excited about it, but sometimes my face doesn’t show it. So I was thinking, ‘If they say my name, don’t just stand there and do nothing.’” Watch at 16:58 here. Sam Hunt
Streamsound’s Austin Webb discusses his most influential music:1. Kris Kristofferson: He will always be my biggest influence as a songwriter. His delivery was honest. He was the real deal. He was also a renaissance man, which I aspire to be. 2. Bob Dylan’s Blonde On Blonde: It’s one of the best records ever made. 3. Tom Douglas: In May 2010 I was smoking a cigarette on a tractor in my overalls in my dad’s barn. I
heard Miranda Lambert’s “The House That Built Me” [written by Douglas and Allen Shamblin] on WSSL/Greenville, SC. I’d spent the last seven years on the road, touring the Americana circuit. When I heard that song, something hit me and I knew I wanted to be on Country radio. About a year later I moved to Nashville and I got to write with Tom.4. Guy Clark: “Texas 1947” is one of the best songs ever written. “The Randall Knife” is incredible.5. Joe Cocker: His voice and the way he held himself onstage – he was the coolest guy ever.• Highly regarded music you’ve actually never heard: I don’t know anything about Skrillex but I hear people talking about him.• An “important” piece or style of music you just don’t get: Electronic Dance Music. I haven’t even heard it outside of Vegas. And when I’m in Vegas, that’s usually just background noise for me to get drunk.• An album you listened to incessantly: Travis Meadows’ Killin’ Uncle Buzzy. It’s the best album Nashville’s seen in 25 years. He’s one of the best songwriters I’ve ever met. I was fortunate enough to write with him twice.• An obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to right now: “Dinosaurs” by an indie rock band in Nashville called Realms. It’s tastefully dynamic.• Music you’d rather not admit to enjoying: I’m a big Backstreet Boys fan. I love pop music. You may find me on a Saturday night drinking a glass of wine and listening to a little Mariah Carey. I’ve been there.
MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE
Austin Webb
News & Notes Premiere’s Lorianne Crook and Charlie Chase will interview Steven Tyler during the “Music And Mimosas” event at the NAB/RAB’s 2015 Radio Show in Atlanta. The Oct. 2 discussion will focus on Tyler’s career journey, the importance of developing as an artist and staying relevant through changes in media and music consumption. More here. Forever Media will purchase four Dix Communications/Cumberland, MD stations, including Country WFRB. The deal will bring Forever’s Country station count to seven, including WFGE/State College, PA; simulcast WGYY & WGYI/Meadville, PA; WFGI/Johnstown, PA; WWGY/Newcastle, PA; and WFGY/Altoona, PA. The sale is pending FCC approval. Envision has launched The Stories That Made The Music with creator Nick Michaels as host. The one-minute vignettes focus on artists including Lady Antebellum, Garth Brooks, George Strait, Reba, Blake Shelton and Shania Twain. More here.
Artist News Valory’s Justin Moore was honored Aug. 23 with the Arkansas Traveler Award, presented by Governor Asa Hutchinson during a hometown celebration in Poyen, AR. Big Machine’s Tim McGraw will headline the 2016 Carolina Country Music Fest in Myrtle Beach June 10-12. More here. Ralph Stanley has signed with New Frontier Touring for booking representation. Sixteen-year-old singer/songwriter Jackson Nance has signed with Warner/Chappell for publishing and with BMI for catalog representation. Songwriter Carly Pearce has signed a worldwide joint publishing agreement with BMG and busbee. Warner Bros./WMN’s Kenny Rogers will release Once Again It’s Christmas Sept. 25. Michelle Wright has signed with Thompson Entertainment Group for management. Songwriters Mark and Cherie Oakley have signed with MV2 Entertainment for publishing. Phil Vassar will kick off the fall leg of his 2015 #noPHILter Tour Sept. 4 in Millersport, OH. Rainman Records will release the British Live Performance Series Sept. 18, including a Glen Campbell live show from 1990 at the Dome in Doncaster, England.
The Week’s Top StoriesFull coverage at countryaircheck.com• Nielsen Audio released August 2015 PPM ratings. (8/31)• iHeartMedia promoted Brad Hardin, Jon Zellner and Maynard. (8/28)• Longtime WGTY/York, PA personality Paesan Pellegrini retired. (8/28)• Former WRNS/Greenville, NC personality Wayne Carlyle returned as host of Y2K Country. (8/27)• Former KUPL/Portland personality Matt “Sparx” Ethridge joined KUAD/Fort Collins, CO for afternoons. (8/26)• Radio vets Dayton Kane and Jillene Kahn joined WKTI/Milwaukee. (8/25)
Valory’s Thomas Rhett puts an industry spin on the artist interview: I grew up listening to Nashville’s WSIX-FM and WRVW-FM. Me and my sister were either listening to country or *NSYNC and Britney Spears. The first time I heard myself on the radio I was driving from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. I still have a video of that moment. Sometimes I watch it and remind myself what that felt like. There really is nothing like hearing your voice
coming out of those speakers. One time my radio rep JoJamie Hahr and I went through a McDonald’s drive-thru at six in the morning. As she was leaving she drove for a solid 50 yards right down the median. Everything was flying everywhere. From then on, I offered to drive. The funny thing about a radio tour is, all they know about you is you just released a single, you have a record deal and hopefully you can sing. They were fun times, hard times and the most sleep-deprived I’ve ever been in my whole life. But it’s worth it. I would love to have dinner with Frank Sinatra at some Italian restaurant in New York City. I’d order lasagna. It would be nice to pick his brain: “Hey Frank, we have this thing called Twitter now. How did you ever get the word out that you were a big deal? And if you could come to one of my shows, how would you say fans have changed?” I wish I had written Blake Shelton’s “Honey Bee.” Dad [Rhett Akins] wrote it [with Ben Hayslip]. I’m very envious – first of all, of the check he received. But second, that’s one of my favorite country songs of the whole decade. I have to have chocolate flavored coconut water with me on the road. I have about a hundred of them on the bus. My least favorite interview question is, “Tell me about your dad.” I love my dad with all my heart. But that’s one of the main questions I’ve been asked since I became an artist. To this day, every phoner I do for a radio station, one of the first things is, “I played your daddy’s songs back in 1995.” I’d love to be stuck in Chicago. It’s like Nashville on steroids. You can feel like you’re in a big city but you can also feel like you’re in the country a little bit. The people are kind and the food is good.
OFF THE RECORD: THOMAS RHETT
Thomas Rhett
In addition to his personal gift of spirit to all of us, Jeff was the most passionate promoter and guardian of the country music community and genre. He took the greatest pride in his decades of service to the industry with the CRB, CMA and CCMA boards and many other organizations and projects over the years. He was always one of the first and the few to step up when times got tough for our industry. Jeff believed in the power we have within ourselves to solve our most difficult problems; there was always a solution to be found. Jeff was determined to be a part of that solution for everyone. He cared about the music, the people and our community, and in so doing provided a path of inspiration for us all. As tragic events always do, we are reminded to appreciate and love every day, person and gift in our lives. I know we have not even begun to understand all of the ways we will miss Jeff. Stone Door Media Lab’s Jeff Green: Jeff became one of my first and best friends in the Nashville music industry in 1993 when I joined the CMA to head their international department. Putting his well-known mas-ter talent at puns to work, he immediately and forever began introducing me to colleagues as “Double Jefferdy,” gener-ating a smile every time. Jeff worked tirelessly to develop country music’s global growth – from helping secure a nearly unknown Keith Urban for an international show at Fan Fair,
to countless show-cases and parties he orchestrated, to behind-the-scenes advocacy. He spearheaded delegation trips to Australia, Can-ada and Europe to promote U.S. and international artists (and broad-casters), and was eager to persuade sometimes skeptical industry executives. It was a thrill to receive the CMA’s Jo Walker-Meador Award in 2004
from Jeff, who was recognized himself in 2013. But more can and should be done: The CMA has international artist awards for both U.S. and global artists. It would be fitting if one of them were to bear Jeff’s name in his honor. Monk Family Music Group’s Charlie Monk: For the first few years, CRS was functionally run out of my office with my assistant, Judy Harris, handling the administrative work. The loosely organized non-profit group requested we take care of any funds acquired. At some point I got a notice from the IRS that we were to be audited. It scared the hell out of me because I had used some of the money for meetings and had not kept very good records. A friend knew produc-er Bill Walker’s son was an accountant, so I met with Jeff and knew he
was the man to help me and he has done it for over three decades. Thanks to Jeff, I did not have go through with the audit. Maverick’s Chris Parr: “G’day, mate.” That’s the way my favorite Aussie and I greeted each other for the better part of 28 years. Kinda cheesy, but when Jeff gave me my start as a college intern/part-timer in this biz back in the late ‘80s I thought it was oh-so-clever. Maybe it also set the tone for the first pun out of his mouth – the kind he would whip out on a moment’s notice and make you almost grimace because it was so corny, but you laughed anyway. No one loved to have fun more than Jeff Walker in the midst of getting business done. One of the many fun trips we took was my first ever visit to New York City for the New Music Seminar. For a 20-something music-lov-ing kid from Lincoln County, TN, it was mecca. We were barely on the escalators before Jeff introduced me to two or three people he knew. After schmoozing our way through the Marriott Marquis bar, we proceeded to take a long, expensive cab ride downtown like we were going on an overseas adventure – Jeff grinning from ear to ear all the way and experiencing every new NYC moment with me. When we got there, I thought the least I could do is offer to buy Jeff a beer since he had been shelling out money since we left Nashville. The bartender brings me two and yells $8 over the wailing band. I couldn’t hear him and thought, “He said, ‘Eight dollars?’ For two beers? What the hell? I could buy a 12 pack of the Beast back in the ‘Boro for that.” Jeff was laughing out loud as he saw the shock on my face, but I followed through. Looking back, that cold beer in that moment with my boss, mentor and friend Jeff Walker tasted about as good as any beer ever. I would pay any price to have just one more cold one with my dear friend Jeff. You gave so many of us a start in this business. You were always the consummate ambassador for country music. Always. G’day, mate. You will be sorely missed, but never forgotten. CAC
Clockwise l-r starting with Jeff: wife Terri, daughter Christy Walker Watkins and son-in-law Matt Watkins, son Jon and daughter-in-law Tessa, father Bill and stepmother Jeanine.
Fun Daze: Republic Nashville’s Florida Georgia Line hang with industry friends at their Santa Clara, CA Kick The Dust Up Tour stop.
Aldean Town: Broken Bow’s Jason Aldean brings his Burn It Down Tour to Boston’s Gillette Stadium, where he joins Kenny Chesney’s final The Big Revival Tour stop. Pictured (l-r) are WTHT/Portland, ME’s Stan Bennett, WPOR/Portland, ME’s Jon Shannon, WOKQ/Portsmouth, NH’s Mark Jennings, WBWL/Boston’s Lance Houston, the label’s Lee Adams, WKLB/Boston’s Ginny Rogers, Dawn Santoluctio and Mike Brophey, Aldean, WUSH/Norfolk’s Brandon O’Brien, WCTK/Providence’s Amanda Leonardo, WSIX/Nashville’s Michael Bryan and WCTK’s Bob Walker.
Summer Camp: BBR Music Group and iHeartRadio meet in Asheville, NC for their Summer Summit.
Country Aircheck Top Spin GainersBRETT ELDREDGE/Lose My Mind (Atlantic/WMN) 935
CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Smoke Break (19/Arista) 765
KENNY CHESNEY/Save It For A Rainy... (Blue Chair/Columbia) 739
KEITH URBAN/John Cougar, John Deere... (Capitol) 738
TIM MCGRAW/Top Of The World (Big Machine) 667
CHRIS JANSON/Buy Me A Boat (Warner Bros./WAR) 663
LUKE BRYAN/Strip It Down (Capitol) 587
SAM HUNT/House Party (MCA) 552
THOMAS RHETT/Crash And Burn (Valory) 527
JASON ALDEAN/Gonna Know We Were Here (Broken Bow) 452
Country Aircheck Top Point GainersBRETT ELDREDGE/Lose My Mind (Atlantic/WMN) 2979 ✔CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Smoke Break (19/Arista) 2720 ✔KEITH URBAN/John Cougar, John Deere... (Capitol) 2599 ✔CHRIS JANSON/Buy Me A Boat (Warner Bros./WAR) 2336 ✔TIM MCGRAW/Top Of The World (Big Machine) 2269 ✔KENNY CHESNEY/Save It For A Rain... (Blue Chair/Columbia) 2086
LUKE BRYAN/Strip It Down (Capitol) 2010
THOMAS RHETT/Crash And Burn (Valory) 1964
JASON ALDEAN/Gonna Know We Were Here (Broken Bow) 1578
SAM HUNT/House Party (MCA) 1571
Activator Top Spin GainersLUKE BRYAN/Strip It Down (Capitol) 318
CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Smoke Break (19/Arista) 316
BRETT ELDREDGE/Lose My Mind (Atlantic/WMN) 237
KENNY CHESNEY/Save It For A... (Blue Chair/Columbia) 166
THE BAND PERRY/Live Forever (Republic Nashville) 151
KEITH URBAN/John Cougar, John Deere... (Capitol) 148
BLAKE SHELTON/Gonna (Warner Bros./WMN) 147
CHRIS JANSON/Buy Me A Boat (Warner Bros./WAR) 120
TIM MCGRAW/Top Of The World (Big Machine) 118
JASON ALDEAN/Gonna Know We Were Here (Broken Bow) 105
Activator Top Point GainersLUKE BRYAN/Strip It Down (Capitol) 1644 ✔CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Smoke Break (19/Arista) 1644 ✔BRETT ELDREDGE/Lose My Mind (Atlantic/WMN) 1269 ✔KENNY CHESNEY/Save It For A... (Blue Chair/Columbia) 918 ✔KEITH URBAN/John Cougar, John Deere... (Capitol) 854 ✔BLAKE SHELTON/Gonna (Warner Bros./WMN) 844
THE BAND PERRY/Live Forever (Republic Nashville) 810
CHRIS JANSON/Buy Me A Boat (Warner Bros./WAR) 660
TIM MCGRAW/Top Of The World (Big Machine) 618
JASON ALDEAN/Gonna Know We Were Here (Broken Bow) 480
Country Aircheck Top recurrents Points
MICHAEL RAY/Kiss You In The Morning (Atlantic/WEA) 13385
JASON ALDEAN/Tonight Looks Good On You (Broken Bow) 10874
LUKE BRYAN/Kick The Dust Up (Capitol) 10567
BLAKE SHELTON/Sangria (Warner Bros./WMN) 9581
CANAAN SMITH/Love You Like That (Mercury) 9066
BRANTLEY GILBERT/One Hell Of An Amen (Valory) 8815
ZAC BROWN BAND/Homegrown (SouthrnGrnd/Varvatos/BMLG) 8367
BILLY CURRINGTON/Don't It (Mercury) 7883
KELSEA BALLERINI/Love Me Like You Mean It (Black River) 7680
EASTON CORBIN/Baby Be My Love Song (Mercury) 6671
Country Aircheck Add Leaders AddsBRANTLEY GILBERT/Stone Cold Sober (Valory) 35MO PITNEY/A Boy And A Girl Thing (Curb) 23SCOTTY MCCREERY/Southern Belle (19/Interscope/Mercury) 23THE BAND PERRY/Live Forever (Republic Nashville) 11LITTLE BIG TOWN/Pain Killer (Capitol) 10BRAD PAISLEY/Country Nation (Arista) 9TIM MCGRAW/Top Of The World (Big Machine) 9BLAKE SHELTON/Gonna (Warner Bros./WMN) 8CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Smoke Break (19/Arista) 8DAVID NAIL/Night's On Fire (MCA) 6JASON ALDEAN/Gonna Know We Were Here (Broken Bow) 6WILLIAM MICHAEL MORGAN/I Met A Girl (Warner Bros./WMN) 6
RONNIE DUNN/Ain’t No Trucks In Texas (Nash Icon/Valory) Moves 50-49 1,793 points, 487 spins; No adds
DAVID NAIL/Night’s On Fire (MCA) Debuts at 50* 1,500 points, 513 spins 6 adds: WIL, WIRK, WKXC, WPCV*, WSLC WTHT
WATERLOO REVIVAL/Bad For You (Big Machine) 1,470 points, 465 spins 4 adds: KCCY, KPLM, KSSN, WMAD
CLARE DUNN/Move On (MCA) 1,453 points, 465 spins; No adds
LUCY ANGEL/Crazy Too (G-Force/New Revolution) 1,352 points, 478 spins; No adds
REBA/Until They Don’t Love You (Nash Icon/Valory) 1,286 points, 315 spins 2 adds: KSKS*, WKHX*
COUNTrY AIrCHECK ACTIVITY
SEPTEMBEr 8AMANDA WATKINS/If I Was Over You (in2une)CASSADEE POPE/I Am Invincible (Republic Nashville)
SEPTEMBEr 14MICHAEL RAY/Real Men Love Jesus (Atlantic/WEA)RACHELE LYNAE/Quicksand (in2une)DALLAS SMITH/Kids With Cars (Blaster)BRAD PAISLEY/Country Nation (Arista)RASCAL FLATTS/I Like The Sound Of That (Big Machine)JON PARDI/Head Over Boots (Capitol).
SEPTEMBEr 21MATT GARY/It’s On You (in2une)JOE NICHOLS/Freaks Like Me (Red Bow)CRAIG MORGAN/When I’m Gone (Black River)ZAC BROWN BAND/Beautiful Drug (SouthrnGrnd/Varvatos/BMLG)