Smoky Mountain Reign: Former Top 40 WNOK/Columbia, SC & WWXM/Myrtle Beach PD Matt "Brodie" Lesley has been named Brand Mgr. for the four-station SummitMedia/Knoxville cluster including WCYQ, where he will do middays. Former WCYQ Brand Mgr./midday host Matt Cooper departed last week (CAT 10/27). In addition to his former PD roles with iHeartMedia, where he worked from 2019 until earlier this year, Lesley served as the company's Music Curator for Top 40 stations in Cincinnati, Fresno and Austin. He is a veteran of more than 20 years in radio, with previous stints at KCHZ/Kansas City, WSEA & WSYN/Myrtle Beach and KQLK/Lake Charles, LA. “I’ve gone country!” he says. “I’m excited to start this new chapter with SummitMedia and WCYQ and help bring great Country radio to East Tennessee." Reach him here.
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In This Issue (10/26)
“If I hear the magic two words, ‘St Jude,’ it’s an automatic yes.”
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Radio Vision
Dean's List: Blue Highway's Jackson Dean with WKHK's Carletta Blake, the label's Sally Green and guest Jen Yates (l-r) at The National in Richmond, VA.
Moore Than A Feeling: Cervidae/Sony's McCoy Moore visits WKDF/Nashville. Pictured (top, l-r) are the station's Erin Merimonti and Jesse James, Moore and the label's Ali O'Connell; (bottom) Moore with the station's Travis Daily.
Signage: Singer/songwriter Davis Cook (c) signs with Rich Mgmt's Chase Miller (l) and Brendan Rich.
Letters From Dome: Leo33's Zach Top (in hat) with WTGE/Baton Rouge's Jimmy Brooks, the label's Tracy Gibson and KMDL/Lafayette, LA's Jude Walker (l-r) at the Cajundome.
Pretty In Pink: Columbia's Megan Moroney (in pink dress) with Christine Hiatt and husband/Cumulus' Travis Daily, the label's Ali O’Connell and Daily's son Zen Hiatt (l-r) at Opry Goes Pink last night (10/27).
Bet On KAT: Enchntmnt/Warner's Blake Whiten and Warner's Slater Nalley at The Underground in Charlotte. Pictured (l-r) are WKKT’s Graham Bunn, Nalley, Whiten, WKKT's Ashley Wilson and the label's James Marsh.
Who Told You What: Tucker Wetmore and Jacob Hackworth welcome radio to the Phoenix stop of the The Brunette World Tour (10/23). Pictured (top, l-r) are MCA's Briarman Whitfield, KMLE's Gabe Mercer, Wetmore, KNIX's Brooke Hoover and KNIX's Reid Spivey; and (bottom, l-r) Mercer, Whitfield, Hackworth, Hoover and Spivey ... celebrating Hackworth's new EP What Took You So Long.
Keepin' It Beale: Stone Country's Spencer Hatcher with WNCY/Appleton, WI's Hannah Damas at last week's Country Cares Seminar in Memphis.
Walter Right: Brendan Walter gathers a group for his Grand Ole Opry debut (10/23). Pictured (l-r) are the Opry's Stacey Cato, Grady Smith, the Opry's Lexi Lampkin, Walter, and Red Light's Tom Lord and Reid Alexander.
Power Trio: The WHKO/Dayton, OH team raises $171,500 for the Canine Co-Pilot Program during the station's 29th annual Cares For Kids Radiothon on behalf of Dayton Children's Hospital and Children's Miracle Network. Pictured (l-r) are Children’s Miracle Network’s Jim Littrell, WHKO’s Nancy Wilson and Kristen Burchfield, Radiothon sponsor Jack Gwin, Dayton Children’s Jena Pado, WHKO’s Aaron “Woody” Woods and Dayton Children’s Lexi Kopilchack; (front, l-r) Red, Luna and Millie.
No Need For Lion: Columbia's Kameron Marlowe (l) with WYCD/Detroit's Tim Roberts at Sunday's (10/25) Lions-Packers game, where Marlowe performed at halftime.
Love Is Kind: Belles, Atlus, Zach John King, Ian Munsick and Joe Nichols (l-r) with WWQM/Madison's Kristi Kelly (c) at the station's Storytellers Jam benefiting American Family Children's Hospital.
All About That Bass: WKXC/Augusta, GA's Chris O'Kelley (left) backstage with Chris Janson Saturday (10/24).
Signage: Atlantic Outpost's Stella Lefty signs with Make Wake Artists. Pictured (l-r) are Make Wake's Sophia Sansone, Lefty and MW's Chris Kappy.
Top Stories
Lesley Named SummitMedia/Knoxville Brand Manager
Smoky Mountain Reign: Former Top 40 WNOK/Columbia, SC & WWXM/Myrtle Beach PD Matt "Brodie" Lesley has been named Brand Mgr. for the four-station SummitMedia/Knoxville cluster including WCYQ, where he will do middays. Former WCYQ Brand Mgr./midday host Matt Cooper departed last week (CAT 10/27). In addition to his former PD roles with iHeartMedia, where he worked from 2019 until earlier this year, Lesley served as the company's Music Curator for Top 40 stations in Cincinnati, Fresno and Austin. He is a veteran of more than 20 years in radio, with previous stints at KCHZ/Kansas City, WSEA & WSYN/Myrtle Beach and KQLK/Lake Charles, LA. “I’ve gone country!” he says. “I’m excited to start this new chapter with SummitMedia and WCYQ and help bring great Country radio to East Tennessee." Reach him here.
Weekly Recap: Country Cares, Dolly Tribute, John Anderson
Certified Diamond Someday: Radiothon tips were shared, Russell Dickerson and wife Kailey were honored and attendees realized they are in the business of giving kids more birthdays as Country Cares For St. Jude Kids Seminar was recapped. Radio pros shared their thoughts on CMA's Dolly Parton tribute on ABC/Disney+. And Country Music Hall of Famer John Anderson was remembered by his peers. Read all that and more in last night's (10/26) Country Aircheck Weekly.
Oct 27, 2026
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