Country Aircheck
 December 17, 2009

» Farewell Two-er: CBS Radio's KMPS/Seattle morning host Ichabod Caine is leaving the station after 23 years. He and wife/co-host/producer Scallops will host their last show tomorrow morning (12/18). "Scallops and I are not using the "r" word (retire); however, it has been said, 'There's a time to plant and a time to uproot,'" Caine says. "Thank you to all at KMPS and mainly the listeners for 23 amazing, wonderful years. Bless ya huge!" "We all learned a lot and benefited tremendously from Ichabod's passion for people, radio and country music," says PD Becky Brenner. "We have some big shoes to fill." Morning co-hosts Randy Scott and Stephen Kilbreath will remain on the air while a final decision is made for the direction of the new morning show.

Also departing tomorrow (12/18), after 15 years in mornings on now-Alpha's KUPL/Portland and 41 years in the business is Lee Rogers (CAT 10/16). In lieu of a farewell party, the morning show will do their annual toy drive broadcast from a local Safeway. "Lee's contribution to KUPL is immeasurable and he will be greatly missed," says PD Scott Mahalick.


» Hey Dale: Radio vet Dale O'Brian has been hired as Mgr./Southeast Promotion for Ride Records. Based in Kentucky, O'Brian starts Jan. 11 and is the final addition to the new Ride promotion team. "I am so excited to have a radio and records veteran who brings an unlimited amount of creative and innovative prowess to the staff," says VP/Promotion David Shaw. O'Brian is the creator and owner of syndicated radio show Retro Country and has programmed stations in Atlanta, Greensboro, NC and Washington, DC. He can be reached at 859-433-4933 or here.

» Freeman Walking: Cumulus/Topeka OM Tom Freeman is now PD for WVIM/Memphis. He replaced Tim Jones, who exited the station in November (CAT 11/18). Freeman is also handling morning drive, an airshift MD/Prod. Dir./PM driver Tripp had been covering in the interim. Contact Freeman here.

» Leeward Bound: Wilks' Hot AC KMMX/Lubbock, TX night jock Amy Lee is now handling middays on sister Country KLLL. She replaces Neely Yates, who resigned in October (CAT 10/5).

» Pound Wise: Kudos to KFDI/Wichita morning teamers Brian Pierce and Kellie Michaels, who collected 22,000 lbs. of Christmas gifts and decorations during their Christmas In A Box project. In addition, nearly $19,000 was donated, covering the postage to send the 11 tons to soldiers overseas.

» What I Was Thinkin': "Beautiful World" by Dierks Bentley featuring Patty Griffin is the soundtrack to a new UNICEF PSA to promote awareness on children's rights worldwide. Watch here.

» Power House: The Local Community Radio Act of 2009 (HR 1147), a bill which could light up hundreds and even as many as 3,000 new 100-watt FM stations, was cleared by the House of Representatives yesterday. A Senate committee version has already been approved, all five FCC commissioners are behind it, and assuming NAB-requested revisions are included, the bi-partisan legislation seems headed for passage by the full Senate. Reflecting several years of engineering study, the bill would end the third-adjacency channel protection provided to full-power FM stations, FM translator stations and FM booster stations. LPFM stations are intended to broadcast a maximum of a few miles, serving local governments, local churches, school districts, minority communities and other area groups.





» Holiday Shopping Ideas: If you're still pondering what to get that special station staffer, keep in mind the Advance Rate deadline for CRS 2010 registration is tomorrow (12/18). For $549 you'll see keynoter Dave Ramsey, Music City Jam host Taylor Swift and the inaugural CRB/Country Aircheck Awards during the New Faces Show. CRS 2010 is Feb. 24-26 at the Nashville Convention Center. Register here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Dec. 16:

  1. REBA/Consider Me Gone (Starstruck/Valory) 2314 points
  2. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol) 2097 points
  3. LUKE BRYAN/Do I (Capitol) 2062 points
  4. DIERKS BENTLEY/I Wanna Make You Close Your... (Capitol) 1994 points
  5. TIM MCGRAW/Southern Voice (Curb) 1804 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Dec. 16:

  1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/American Honey (Capitol)
  2. TAYLOR SWIFT/Fearless (Single Edit) (Big Machine)
  3. RASCAL FLATTS/Unstoppable (Lyric Street)
  4. TRACE ADKINS/Ala-Freakin-Bama (Capitol)
  5. TAYLOR SWIFT/Fearless (Album Version) (Big Machine)

» Tube Check Tonight (12/17): Josh Turner, Origins (GAC).

Tube Check Tomorrow (12/18): Joe Nichols, My Military Diary (re-air) (GAC).

» Tomorrow's Birthdays (12/18): Cowboy Troy, Cledus T. Judd, Buffy Cooper, Joe Galante, Rob Hendon.


Weird Not In Kansas Anymore: Valory's Jimmy Wayne channels labelmate Reba during a visit to the KFDI/Wichita studios. However, PD Beverlee Brannigan's husband (l) decided to stay a little more local with his best Dorothy impression, while Beverlee and APD/MD Carol Hughes (r) pretend everything is normal.

A Tempted Larsen: Treehouse's Blaine Larsen hangs with the WCTY/Norwich, CT crew following the station's 2009 Winter Concert. Pictured (l-r) are parttimer Jack Major, night jock Jesse Roche, MD/morning co-host Jimmy Lehn, Larsen, middayer John Knight, PD Dave Elder, sales staffer Michelle Chaffee, morning co-host Shelley Martinez and VP/GM Andy Russell.

Warm Front: Stoney Creek's Ash Bowers raised $1,000 for KIZN/Boise's Keep Kids Warm charity during an impromptu on-air visit by auctioning off a dinner for four with an acoustic set, pictures and autographs. Pictured with the winners are morning co-host Kevin Mee (l) and Bowers (third from r).














































 



© 2009 Country Aircheck