» Carolwood Contacts: This morning's closing of Lyric Street's Carolwood imprint included the departure of three staffers. Contact info follows: West Coast regional Dave Collins (480-223-8337), Southeast rep Trudie Daniell (770-843-2858) and East regional Stephanie Keshe (615-418-3519). Current projects by Carolwood artists Love And Theft and Trent Tomlinson will continue to carry the imprint's name, but promotion will be handled by the reconstituted Lyric Street staff. "I am very optimistic that this newly organized, aggregated team will bring new focus and energy to our entire staff and roster and thus have great expectations that they will be the catalyst for resetting us towards better serving our artists and radio partners while achieving our cost goals," label President Randy Goodman says. Details in this morning's Breaking News.

» In Case You Missed It: As we told you in the second Breaking News of the day, former CBS Radio/San Francisco VP/Programming Mike Preston was named PD for Entercom's KKWF (The Wolf)/Seattle.

» Randolph Makin' Grade: Clear Channel's AC WMTX/Tampa morning co-host Chris Randolph has been named morning host of Clear Channel's WAMZ/Louisville. He succeeds longtime host Bobby Jack Murphy, who left the station last month (CAT 10/1). A Shelbyville, KY native, Randolph previously worked at Louisville's WDJX, WQMF and WZKF. He starts Dec. 7 and joins co-host Melissa "Mel" Fischer, who has been flying solo since Murphy's departure.

» Fledgling Sledge Rings: Former Clear Channel SVP/Programming Alan Sledge has formed Scottsdale, AZ-based Alan Sledge Media Management (ASMM), focusing on radio talent consultation, content monetization, new media messaging, brand development, exploration/management of new distribution opportunities and career counseling. As part of the development, ASMM is partnering with Seattle-based talent agent, attorney and digital media entrepreneur Paul Anderson. Up until his departure from Clear Channel in late June (CAT 6/24), Sledge had served 10 years as an executive with the company, including as RVPP/Southwest and VP/Country Programming. He earlier worked as PD for CBS/Infinity in Chicago, and also has PD experience in Phoenix, San Francisco, Seattle and Detroit.

» Plan Of The Year: Alpha Broadcasting founder Larry Wilson is profiled in a Time piece about his plans in radio's difficult climate. Promising to return his stations to a local orientation, Wilson says, "When you cut the costs out of this business, you cut the product. Then you don't have anything to distinguish you from iPods or anything." Read it here.

» Grainge Rover: Business Week is reporting that UMG International Chairman Lucian Grainge will succeed CEO Doug Morris sometime next summer. Morris, 71, is expected to remain Chairman and reportedly does not intend to retire. He had been encouraged by executives at parent Vivendi to groom a successor, however, with the 49-year-old Grainge on course to assume day-to-day operations. Read more here.

» Lovey Covey: Songwriter Jennifer Covey has joined Lofton Creek as assistant to Pres. Mike Borchetta. In this newly created post, she will also assist VP Martha Borchetta. Reach Covey here.

» Mary Luminary: Artist manager and A&R exec. Mary Martin will be honored at the third annual Louise Scruggs Memorial Forum presented by The Gibson Foundation and The Country Music Hall of Fame And Museum Nov. 17 at 6pm in the Ford Theater. VP/Museum Programs Jay Orr will host an in-depth interview with Martin, tracking her 40-year career with recordings, film clips and photos. The event is free and open to the public.

» Walkin' The Country: The seventh class of Music City Walk of Fame inductees are Tootsie Bess, Charlie Daniels, Dolly Parton, Kid Rock and Ernest Tubb. Their commemorative sidewalk markers will be unveiled Sunday (11/8) at 2pm in the Hall of Fame Park in downtown Nashville. The event is free and open to the public.

» Turkey Bunting: Mercury's Billy Currington will be part of the 83rd Annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade procession. Currington joins celebrity guests Kermit the Frog, Andrea Bocelli, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, and more. Details here.

» Different Breed: Show Dog's Carter's Chord will perform the National Anthem at the Breeder's Cup World Championships Friday (11/6) as part of the USO-sponsored opening ceremonies at Arcadia, CA's Santa Anita Park. The trio will also send a holiday card to Country radio next week featuring Christmas classics "O Come, O Come Emmanuel," "Santa Baby," and a preview of their upcoming single "You Knock Me Out," which ships to stations in January.

» Life Is A TN Highway: Lyric Street's Rascal Flatts will lend their voices as part of a marketing campaign to promote Gov. Phil Bredesen's statewide program Discover Tennessee Trails and Byways. The group will be featured in TV spots encouraging visitors to take self-guided driving tours to see the state's major landmarks.

» Put A Girl In It: Just in time for Brooks & Dunn's farewell tour, Toyota has developed the Midnight Rider Tundra Tailgater. The full-size 4x2 concept vehicle is customized with a pull-out "Grill N Chill" cooking area with beverage tap, infrared barbeque and ice chest. A 42-inch flat screen TV with Kicker sound system is also installed in the bed. Learn more here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Nov. 2:

1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol) 2178 points
2. CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Cowboy Casanova (19/Arista) 2175 points
3. ZAC BROWN BAND/Toes (Atlantic/Home Grown/Bigger Picture) 2075 points
4. BRAD PAISLEY/Welcome To The Future (Arista) 1949 points
5. LUKE BRYAN/Do I (Capitol) 1792 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Nov. 2:

1. BRAD PAISLEY/American Saturday Night (Arista)
2. CLAY WALKER/All Wrapped Up In You (Curb)
3. KENNY CHESNEY f/DAVE MATTHEWS/I'm Alive (BNA)
4. JAMES HOUSE/I Love You Man (Dream On/Quarterback)
5. BLAKE SHELTON f/TRACE ADKINS/Hillbilly Bone (Warner Bros.)

What A Joker: Alpha Broadcasting CEO Larry Wilson and KUPL/Portland APD/MD Rick "Bubba" Taylor celebrate Halloween a day early at Rascal Flatts' tour stop Friday (10/30). Pictured (l-r) RF's Jay DeMarcus and Gary LeVox, Wilson, Taylor and RF's Joe Don Rooney.

BMOC At 'POC: The WPOC/Baltimore staff congratulate morning host Laurie DeYoung on her upcoming induction into the Country Music DJ Hall of Fame (Breaking News 11/2). Pictured (l-r) are APD/MD Justin Cole, PD Meg Stevens, middayer Bob Delmont, traffic Mark Williams, DeYoung and news/producer St. Pierre.

Golden Rule: Golden's Williams Riley support WFUS/Tampa's 2nd Annual US 103.5 Cares For Kids Radiothon. Pictured (l-r) are APD/MD Erik Tomlin, WR's Steve Williams, morning host Catfish, WR's Charlie Hutto, morning co-host Launa and WR's Travis Thibodaux.

Universally Embraced: Mercury's Easton Corbin stopped by the Country Aircheck offices this afternoon, trading cookies for the chance to autograph his advertisement in our print publication. Or something like that. Pictured (l-r) are CA's Jeff Green and Lauren Tingle, UMGN's Royce Risser, CA's Lon Helton, Corbin, CA's Mary Forest Findley, UMGN's Katie Dean and Mercury's Damon Moberly, and CA's Erin Duvall and Chuck Aly.