Also announced this afternoon at CRS '26, Academy of Country Music Radio Award winners for the 61st ACM Awards include ...

• Major Market Personality: Chris Carr & Company, Chris Carr, Sam Sansevere, "Dubs" Michael Wilczynski, KEEY/Minneapolis
• Large Market Personality: Heather Froglear, KFRG/Riverside
• Medium Market Personality: Mo & StyckMan, Greg "StyckMan" Owens and Melissa "Mo" Wagner, WUSY/Chattanooga
• Small Market Personality: The Eddie Foxx Show, Eddie Foxx and Amanda Foxx, WKSF/Asheville, NC
• Major Market Station: KSCS/Dallas
• Large Market Station: WUBE/Cincinnati
• Medium Market Station: WLFP/Memphis
• Small Market Station: WYCT/Pensacola

National Daily and National Weekly Personality honorees will be recognized during the New Faces Show Friday (3/20).

Marci Braun, Chris Carr, Michael J, Phil Hunt, Rick Jackson, Bruce Logan and John Marks are the 2026 inductees into the Country Radio Hall of Fame, as announced today (3/18) during CRS in Nashville. KEEY/Minneapolis morning host Carr; WPOC/Baltimore morning host and WMZQ/Washington, DC midday host Michael J; and Rick Jackson's Country Classics host Jackson are the on-air inductees. Audacy Central Regional Brand Mgr. Braun, Consultant and Hunt Media Pres. Hunt, Audacy/Houston VP/Programming Logan and former Spotify and SiriusXM Head/Country Programming and terrestrial radio veteran Marks earned their places in the radio category.

The inductees will be honored Aug. 3 during a ceremony at the Virgin Hotel Nashville. The Country Radio Hall of Fame recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a 20-year period, 15 of which must have been spent in the Country format.

Morris Higham President/Partner Clint Higham, Country Music Hall of Famer Kenny Chesney, former Warner Music Nashville Chair John Esposito and Big Machine EVP/GM Kris Lamb have formed Nashville-based Hey Now Records, with Chesney as the label's flagship artist. Lamb serves as President, while Esposito describes his role as "co-founder, advisor, mentor and cheerleader for Kris." Higham, CMA's Manager of the Year and longtime manager for Chesney, says, "In today’s flooded marketplace, Espo, Kris Lamb and I looked at this moment and saw an opportunity to super-serve a handful of talented developing and established artists." Adds Chesney, "Creating and exploring what’s possible inspires me, and this is a moment where we can realize ideas in a matter of hours." The label is named for a boat Chesney owned, memorialized in the song "Happy On The Hey Now." Details on staff and further signings will be forthcoming. Reach Lamb here.

Curb Dir./Regional Promotion Todd Thomas has been upped to Nat'l. Dir./Promotion and will join Nat'l. Dir./Promotion & Strategic Initiatives Allyson Gelnett (Massey) in co-leading the department after the March 31 departure of SVP/Promotion RJ Meacham. Thomas will direct the regional staff, with Gelnett (Massey) focused on strategic initiatives and the Northeast region. As noted in Friday's Country Aircheck Today (CAT 3/13), Meacham is stepping down to explore a new venture, but will continue to consult the label after his departure. Thomas has been with Curb since 2013, moving to rep the West Coast two years ago (CAT 1/31/2024). Gelnett joined the label in 2018 and rose to her current post a year ago (CAT 4/23/2025). Reach Thomas here and Gelnett here.

Galaxy Label Group partners LoCash (Preston Brust, Chris Lucas) and Skip Bishop, and Canadian entrepreneur Shane Harluk, have launched artist development and marketing firm Music City Power Company (MCPC) with label vet Mara Sidweber as VP/Promotion & Strategy. Concurrently, Sidweber has been named to a National Promotion role at Galaxy. MCPC will offer clients A&R, distribution and promotion, among other services, from its Nashville headquarters as well as Calgary.

Sidweber joins after a long tenure in promotion at Capitol, following stops at Bigger Picture and Southern Ground (Breaking News 4/25/2025). Galaxy Label Group was launched two years ago (CAT 2/29/2024). In her dual role, Sidweber reports directly to Bishop and can be reached here.

It's A Mad, 'MAD World: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for January 2026 (three-month rolling average, 10/16/25-2/4/26) compared with November and December. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Twist-chita: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for January 2026 (three-month rolling average, 10/16/25-2/4/26) compared with November and December. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.