Country Jam: The New Cats Of Country

This week, we got to give our listeners a little treat with a free show with a few of the newest country stars.  We called it the "New Cats Of Country" with Thompson Square, Sunny Sweeney, James Wesley, and Steel Magnolia.  It was acoustic, and in the round... for my Texas readers... a la 'Ten Man Jam' style.  It was a magical event like never before in SW Florida.  It was a blast to put together and listeners filled the seats!  Check out a few of the pics!  Special thanks to all the artists on the show and Mike Gilbert for the cool photos!.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Check out even more pics from the New Cats show here!
James Wesley gave us a cool shoutout on stage too... see the video.

Can I Get A Shoutout?

Nice surprise in my inbox today... Got a cool shoutout from Keifer and Shawna Thompson of Thompson Square. Check out the website in the background on the video...

CRS Nashville: A Photo Essay

Every year, in the first week of March, many radio, record, and music pros come together at Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, Tennessee.  During the day, great seminars on how to make radio better for listeners... at night, a musical party ensures!  Here's what trouble I could stir up!  (Pictures taken on my iphone)

Ronnie Dunn's Barn to listen to some new tracks that only a few folks have ever heard.

Afterwards, a send off in the backyard... The barn is red, because of the song "Bleed Red" ... get it...

...and red fireworks!

The mother church of country... The Ryman Auditorium

RCA's Studio B... Elvis recorded about half his catalog here.  You can't see it, but behind me is the piano that Floyd Cramer used in "Last Date," and recorded in this studio.

Heard some new Chris Young tunes while in Studio B... good stuff!

Laura Bell Bundy

Can't believe I ran into Vince Gill.... his story on "Amie" is that his voice is not on the record... he became part of the band after that song became a hit.

If you were to knock on this door, Martina McBride might answer.

Ronnie Dunn threw this guitar pick into the crowd... and it smacked me square in the face!

Yes, that is Gweneth!  I was at the front row table at the "Sony Boat Show" on the Gen. Jackson Boat

Then Tim McGraw shows up!

Then Brad Paisley crashes the party!

Alabama closes it out with Brad on stage!

Dinner show with LeAnn Rimes

I need one of these at home to do yardwork and chores!

Thank you Nashville!  Good times!

Stories coming soon on the next ToddOnAir podcast!

This is how I got my radio job...

Great story... hope he gets back on his feet and back behind a mic soon!

Giveaway fun!

In my travels in radio, I've given away boats, cruises, vacation trips, motorcycles... but never a car. Got my first chance to blow out a BIG truck signed by Tim McGraw. I was in the truck during the giveaway. Check it out! It was pretty fun!

My Heroes Have Always Been DJ's

You can turn any country music song about rodeos or cowboys and make it a song about people in radio. Just change rodeo to radio and cowboy to DJ and the story matches closely to that of the story of a typical radio DJ.

You may recognize this song from Willie Nelson...

"I grew up a-dreamin' of bein' a DJ,
and Lovin' the DJ ways.
Pursuin' the life of my high-ridin' heroes,
I burned up my childhood days.
I learned of all the rules of the modern-day drifter,
Don't you hold on to nothin' too long...."

It works for Garth's 'Rodeo' too!

"It'll drive a DJ crazy
It'll drive the man insane
And he'll sell off everything he owns
Just to pay to play the game
And a broken home and some broken bones
Is all he'll have to show
For all the years that he spent chasin'
This dream they call radio."

Growing up in Houston, I listened to the radio constantly! Listening to my radio heroes. If you were on the radio in the mid 80's into the 90's, you were probably one of them...  Eventually, wiggling my way onto the air in high school. Some of those 'DJ' songs have rung true in my life in radio: A modern day drifter, broken homes, and all those years chasing that damned ol' radio. My Heroes Have Always Been DJ's and 16 years later... I've sacrificed alot, and I wouldn't have missed a minute.

Country Music In The UK

I've always loved listening to radio stations around the world on the internet.  Some of my favorites are Capital FM in London, ABC network in Australia, GBC radio in Gibraltar, and the BBC in the UK.  After watching the movie from my last post and being a big country music fan, I went on the search for a country music radio station to listen to online in London.  Nothing.  I expanded my search for Country music radio stations in all of the U.K.  I thought, surely, in a country of 62 million people that country music would have a spot on British airwaves somewhere! Maybe in some little British podunk town?  ... None, zero, zilch!  There is not one country music programmed station in all of the United Kingdom!

Many American pop artists, new and old, get lots airplay, so it can't because it's 'American music.'  I was now on a mission.  I contacted a European radio consultant in London and a Group Program Director for a company in Manchester to ask why.   I already knew part of the answer and my radio friends reading this probably already know too.  But I wanted confirmation, and in the process found out a much more in-depth reason of why there is still no country radio 'across the pond.'

The European radio consultant told me the main reason is that country music doesn't research well.  That means, when surveyed, British listeners said they didn't like most country music songs.  I'm not sure how long ago that research was done, but it makes sense.... radio stations here in the states do the same thing.  If it doesn't research, it won't get played.

The last time at a terrestrial country station was on the air in Great Britain was 10 years ago, Country 1035am in London... right in the middle of the Garth and Shania years.  (an audio recording of Garth Brooks actually introduced and launch of the station) 1035am didn't do well for a variety of reasons, but mostly for lack of a large audience, which means lack of advertisers and money to operate.  I imagine being on AM didn't help along with the image of those loud, flaming Brooks and Dunn shirts from the 90's burned into the minds of the British.

Fast forward to today's country music.  The flaming shirts are gone, and you can actually hear some of the country newbies like Taylor Swift and Lady Antebellum on the top 40 stations in London!  Hey, why not give country radio another shot?  Well, today it comes down to $$$.  The group program director from Manchester says that Ofcom, (which is Britain's verision of the FCC) has to issue a license to broadcast country music, and FM licenses are no longer being issued due to the digital radio transition going on in the UK.  He says the only option right now is to pony up about seven figures in British pounds (not dollars) to broadcast on the national DAB digital radio network; the British equivalent to HD Radio in the U.S.

Given the previous country radio failures, a British broadcaster is probably not going to take that risk right now, especially with advertising dollars spent on radio down lately.  Basically, it still comes down to music.  If country was popular like pop is in the UK, no doubt, somebody would find a way.  I can't help but think that this is the most mainstream country has ever sounded and somebody should give country music another shot on British airwaves!

Not to say Country music is completely absent in the UK.  Country can still be heard on a short country music program on BBC 2 radio on Thursday evenings and via internet radio.

Hmmm... now that I think about it, there's not Country radio station (non-HD channel) in New York City either... but I'll save that for another rant...

Of course, I hear they have a great country music station here.

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