» A Nightmare On Main Street: Concern that the economy is negatively impacting the level of country music fan engagement is proving to be well-founded, according to new research by Leo Burnett and The Right Brain Consumer Consulting conducted for the CMA. The organization's new 712-person "Prime Prospect" telephone study of adults 18-54 analyzing country's "most potentially rewarding fan base" categorizes them four ways: CountryPhiles (passionate fans), MusicPhiles (dedicated fans of Country and other genres), Today's Traditional (prospective MusicPhiles), and Pop Country (prospective MusicPhiles whose Country tastes lean pop). The findings indicate that CountryPhiles and MusicPhiles are less likely to monetize their support for the genre than a year ago; many have become "Low-Funding Fans." Eighty percent of Prime Prospects regard today's economic conditions as "not so good" or "poor," citing no-cost music downloads as a free activity they wanted to pursue. Most Country fans go online occasionally, though not always at home, making YouTube, iTunes, and radio station sites important mass-marketing networks, specially for CountryPhiles and MusicPhiles. One encouraging sign is that the total 18-54 country fan base has grown 3% since '08 from 39.7 million to 40.9 million. Later this autumn, CMA will undertake further research to track changes since its original 2008 Consumer Segmentation Study, and present those findings at CRS-41 Feb. 25 at 11am. More details are available to CMA members here.

» iPhone Update: Former CRB Exec. Dir. Ed Salamon can be reached here. Salamon exited the organization Wednesday (10/28), as reported in our Breaking News.

» The Shining: Long-time Phoenix jocks Dave Pratt and W. Steven Martin were inducted into the Arizona Broadcasters Hall of Fame yesterday (10/30). A 27-year market vet, Pratt most recently spent five years helming KMLE's morning show. Martin spent 25 years in mornings for crosstown KNIX, where he won two CMA personality awards.

» Sleepy Follow: RCA/Nashville Coord./Promotion Cara Owen is transitioning to the Sony Music/Nashville Artist Development & Marketing department to work with the BNA and Columbia rosters, effective Monday (11/2). Owen is being replaced by Parker Fowler, who previously worked in the company's facilities area.

» Pic Or Tweet: Taylor Swift was spooked by Ellen DeGeneres, before appearing on Ellen yesterday (10/29). The KUPL/Portland studios were terrorized today (10/30) when the Joker, looking suspiciously like APD/MD Rick "Bubba" Taylor, made an appearance. The Big Time employees Tasha Terry and Jackie Stevens came to the studios as host Whitney Allen (c) this morning (10/30). Kellie Pickler went on a T.A.P.S.-esq ghost hunt while in Asheville, NC. Watch here.

» Net Of The Living Dreads: iTunes users can now access Kenny Chesney's NoShoesRadio.com under the software's Reggae/Island radio stations. NSR launched Aug. 6 with Jon Anthony serving as GM/PD.

» Blood & Bone Marrow Drive: The Joshua Ragsdale Music Row Blood & Bone Marrow Drive is Monday (11/2) from 9am-2pm at Nashville's Christ the King Church (3001 Belmont Blvd.). Singer/songwriter Ragsdale ("I Owe It All To Love," "Get It All Back") has CML Leukemia and needs an immediate bone marrow transplant. RSVP here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Oct. 29:

1. ZAC BROWN BAND/Toes (Atlantic/Home Grown/Bigger Picture) 2082 points
2. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol) 2071 points
3. BRAD PAISLEY/Welcome To The Future (Arista) 2003 points
4. CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Cowboy Casanova (19/Arista) 1974 points
5. KEITH URBAN/Only You Can Love Me This Way (Capitol) 1895 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Oct. 29:

1. TY WILLIAMS/Barn On The Rooftop (Cherry Heart)
2. CHRIS YOUNG/The Man I Want To Be (RCA)
3. BLAKE SHELTON f/TRACE ADKINS/Hillbilly Bone (Warner Bros.)
4. BURNS & POE/Don't Get No Better Than That (Blue Steel)
5. CLEDUS T. JUDD/Christmas In Rehab (E1 Music)

Phantom Of The Office: Show Dog's Mica Roberts heads north to see KEEY/Minneapolis OM/PD Gregg Swedberg and play her new single "Days You Live For."

Lions And Tigers And Beers, Oh My! Sony Music/Nashville took away the Grill Master title from Wednesday's (10/28) 2nd Annual Melrose Music "Meat" & Greet, where UMG/Nashville landed second place and Curb in third. Pictured (l-r) are Melrose writer Jeff Bates, judges Kerry Collins and Charlie Monk, Melrose writer Sherrié Austin (aka Dorothy) and judge Trace Adkins.

Brothers Grimm: Stroudavarious' Anthony Smith (c) and VP/Promotion Bill Macky (r) hang with WIVK/Knoxville OM/PD Mike Hammond before a show at Cotton Eyed Joe's.

Jack All & Hyde : Here's Big Machine VP/Promotion Jack Purcell's amazing transformation from bachelor to husband, which transpired last weekend.