May 15 2017 Issue 550 Wicked Pissah Beantown Hoobanger

[Pages:18]May 15, 2017, Issue 550

Wicked Pissah Beantown Hoobanger

Or, in English, "really great Country party in Boston." Ask Ken-

ny, Luke, Jason, Zac or anyone who has played Gillette, Fenway or

any of the smaller venues ? New England is a great Country market.

And you don't have to tell that to the folks at Beasley's WKLB, who

four years ago (then as Greater Media) posted back-to-back No.

1 books. A year later, iHeartMedia crashed in with WBWL on June

13, 2014. Here's a deeper look at where the battle stands today, in

many respects a classic "heritage vs. new" competition.

Right at the top are March PPM numbers, where WKLB is ninth

6+ with a 4.1 and 634,600 cume. WBWL is 17th with a 2.3 and

438,900 cume. When WBWL launched, WKLB was No. 2 with a

7.0 share and 909,000 cume. So the Country

audience is approaching 1.1 million, but share

is down roughly half a point.

Be Kind Rewind: Dialing back to WBWL's

summer 2014 launch, the station operated

commercial-free through Labor Day with The

Bobby Bones Show in mornings. Sister Top

Lance Houston

40 WXKS/Boston's street team was employed at country concerts and events, and PD/middayer Lance Houston transferred in from WPOC/Baltimore (Breaking News 8/25/14). The original 1,700 watt signal was upgraded

Solid Backbeat: New Sony/Nashville signing The Sisterhood play in Key West over the weekend. Pictured (l-r) are Ruby Stewart (Rod's daughter), Sony drum intern Randy Goodman and Alyssa Bonagura, daughter of Baillie & The Boys' Michael Bonagura and Kathie Baillie.

to 13.5kW in August of 2015.

Today, the lineup still begins with Bones,

followed in middays by Jessica Callahan, a

September 2014 addition from Top 40 WXXX/

Burlington, VT. Sister WKSJ/Mobile's Colton

Bradford joined in May 2015 and handles

Mike Brophey

afternoons. Houston has shifted to nights. Across the street, the WKLB staff is settled in

after moving through several iterations over the past three years.

"We have given the station a fresh coat of paint," says 21-year PD

Mike Brophey, a 2014 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductee.

"Our personalities are more upbeat."

In mornings, latest addition Jackson Blue from Rhythmic

clustermate WBQT joins Hannah Byrom. "Their chemistry is (continued on page 8)

Zac Brown: Homecoming King

Where else would Zac Brown Band open their Welcome Home

Tour but Atlanta's Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park?

WKHX PD Scott Lindy was

there Friday (5/12) and WUBL

nighttime personality Paul

Aaron on Saturday (5/13) to

witness the local-band-made-

good's homecoming. "I'm a

huge fan and it was my first

time seeing them," says Aaron,

adding, "They played lots of

songs from the new album

Scott Lindy

Paul Aaron

[Welcome Home]."

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OFF THE RECORD: Billy Ray Cyrus

On the 25th anniversary of the release of

"Achy Breaky Heart," Flatwood Productions'

Billy Ray Cyrus puts an industry spin on

the artist interview:

I grew up listening to the Grand

Ole Opry on WSM-AM/Nashville on my

grandpa's AM radio, all the way from

Russell, KY.

Billy Ray Cyrus

The first time I heard myself on the

radio was on WTCR/Huntington, WV. I'd

released a song in 1985 or '86 called "It Ain't Over Till It's Over."

My goal was always for my music to be heard around

the world. Twenty-five years ago on Memorial Day Weekend,

we were at Rolling Thunder in Washington, D.C. at the

Vietnam Veterans Wall, sponsored by WMZQ. It was a huge

event for me personally because of my song "Some Gave All"

and what it meant to the veterans. Don Von Tress, who wrote

"Achy Breaky Heart," is a two-term Vietnam veteran. To see

Don put his hands on that wall ... and then we sang "Some

Gave All" there at the wall, followed by "Achy Breaky Heart"

and everybody sang and danced. I knew something very big

was happening.

The new Spanish version of "Achy Breaky Heart"

just fell together like it was meant to be. We cut this little

magic track out of Muscle Shoals with Ronnie Milsap on the

keyboards, just hammering it. Caballo Dorado are a great

group from Mexico who've had the song out for 25 years

themselves. That song united people. Hearing people sing it in

different languages was the greatest compliment in the world.

My brother is my favorite person to travel with,

because I know he's got my back. He knows where I need to

be and when I need to be there.

I wish I'd written "Achy Breaky Heart," but I wouldn't

want to take that away from Don Von Tress. He wrote it and I

got the blessing of hearing it at the right time. I was looking

for one more song for my debut album and that thing landed

in my lap.

I have this cup that Liam Hemsworth bought me. If you

have ice in it, it stays cold. If you have coffee in it, it stays hot.

I call it my "Liam Cup." I take it with me everywhere I go.

I would love to be stuck in Mexico. We're going to do

some shows there. I may just stay there for awhile.

"[Usually] when the act onstage says, `We'd like to play some new music for ya' ... a large percentage of the audience goes to get a beer or take a bathroom break," says Lindy. "Everyone stayed put for Zac's new songs. `Family Table' and `Roots' got big applause. One of the best closeup shots of Zac's face on the video screens was when he sang `Roots.' His look was so intense. Eyes closed tight, he looked as if he could have been alone in a room somewhere miles from the stage. When the song ended he opened his eyes, the crowd cheered and we all saw that genuine big ol' Zac Brown grin that had us all smiling along. He looked like an advertisement for happiness."

In addition to new music and hits, ZBB also played a handful of covers. Aaron reports the band put its own spin on The Who's "Baba O'Riley," Kings Of Leon's "Use Somebody," Metallica's "Enter Sandman" and Travis Tritt's "It's A Great Day To Be Alive," written by opener Darrell Scott.

"Darrell was onstage for a lot of the show with Zac, including their cover of the Allman Brothers' `Whipping Post,'" says Lindy. "He took a turn on one of the `Whipping Post' solos and killed it. Clay Cook did Greg Allman proud with the vocals, capturing the misery of the song's lyrics. Coy Bowles and Clay Cook traded off on guitar leads, too. The song was amazing."

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May 15, 2017

Page 3

May 15, 2017

Page 6

MY TUNES: MUSIC THAT SHAPED MY LIFE

300/WAR's Bailey Bryan discusses her most influential music: 1. Chance the Rapper: He writes what's true to him. As a songwriter, that's what I want to do ? and hopefully, in a unique way that no one else really is. 2. Chance the Rapper's Coloring Book: In that album, he combines gospel and Hip Hop and cool, honest storytelling. I really admire Bailey Bryan that. That's something I want to do in my career as a country artist. 3. Taylor Swift's Red: That was a transitional album for her. She did a really good job combining a lot of different influences and still paying close attention to the songwriting. The lyrics touched my heart. That's another thing I want to do in my music, especially as someone who has a lot of different influences, genre-wise. 4. Beyonc? at Bridgestone Arena, Nashville: Because Beyonc?. 5. Needtobreathe: I've been a fan of them since their very first album. Again, it's honest lyrics and really simple, yet beautiful melodies that capture your heart. You don't even realize until later that the lyrics are also brilliant. Songwriting is a huge thing for me in what's influential; that's the part of this I'm most passionate about. ? Highly regarded music you've actually never heard: The Breaker by Little Big Town. The reason I haven't heard it is, I'm waiting until I have a 30-minute period where I can listen to it all the way through and take it in ? because I know it's going to be amazing. ? "Important" music you just don't get: I don't think there's a type of music I've heard where I haven't been able to find one song I connect with. ? An album you listened to incessantly: Maren Morris' Hero. I feel like every song on that album is a hit. Just a "roll down the windows in your car and sing it at the top of your lungs" album, even though you will never sound like Maren Morris because her voice is perfect. ? Obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to right now: How about an album? I recommend an album called Telefone by a girl called Noname. If you like poetic lyrics and a spoken-word vibe, this obscure album is for you. ? Music you'd rather not admit to enjoying: I can get into some pop punk like 5 Seconds of Summer. Not that there's anything wrong with listening to that.

Hurry Plane: The Sony and Columbia team surprises Luke Combs at the airport Monday afternoon (5/15) to celebrate his No. 1 "Hurricane." Pictured (l-r) are Columbia's Lyndsay Church, manager Chris Kappy, Sony's Jenny Shearin Columbia's Shane Allen and Sam Borenstein, Sony's Lauren Thomas, Combs, and Sony's Taylor Lindsey, Rachel Knaak, Margaret Tomlin, Christy Garbinski, Paige Altone and Mary Catherine Kinney.

Lindy's favorite moments? "The groove from `Free' into Van

Morrison's `Into The Mystic' and back," he says. "It seemed like

the entire amphitheater was singing along. The opening of `Chick-

en Fried' made the entire place erupt, as we knew it would. That

song never disappoints. Guns `N Roses' `Paradise City,' Zac's final

encore, was a huge crowd pleaser."

For Aaron, the highlight was Welcome Home's lead single,

"My Old Man." "The moment of the night was when Zac's dad

came out during that song," he says. "The crowd went wild."

Aaron was impressed with the triple-screen setup behind the

band. "They flashed matching photos and video for the songs they

played," he says.

"The screens sometimes would have Zac in the middle singing,

with his bandmates in the others playing or singing along," adds Lindy.

"There was very good camera work and tight, up-close shots that

showed Zac's face full of emotion and lost in his own music. Really cool."

See the band's tour dates here. Reach Aaron here; reach

Lindy here.

?Wendy Newcomer and Paul Williams

Chart Chat Congrats to Luke Combs, Steve Hodges, Shane Allen and the Columbia promotion staff on landing this week's No. 1 with "Hurricane." The song is Combs' first chart-topper and the first single from his album This One's For You, out June 2. Writers are Thomas Archer, Taylor Phillips and Combs.

Luke Combs

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May 15, 2017

Page 8

And kudos to Allen and the crew for doubling up to also have the top of the add board with Tyler Farr's "I Should Go To Church Sometime."

? John Esposito named Innovator of the Year (5/11). ? Randy "Bubba" Black exited KSTN/Stockton, CA (5/12).

News & Notes KPNC/Oklahoma City has added Envision Networks Country Content Service.

KXBL/Tulsa has moved JPR's Jeremy Show from nights to afternoons after six months with the station.

Warner Music Nashville will kick off the 8th Annual Pickin' On The Patio with Hunter Hayes May 24 on the WMN patio at 20 Music Square East.

Billy Currington, Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls, singer/ songwriters Trea Landon, Jon Langston, Cole Taylor and a surprise guest have been added to the Fourth Annual Jameson Irish Whiskey Presents Georgia On My Mind hosted by the Peach Pickers May 16 at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium. More here.

Mark Wills has signed exclusively with The Kinkead Entertainment Agency for booking representation. Company CEO Bob Kinkead serves as Wills' agent.

Singer/songwriter Terry McBride has signed with talent agency ArtistLive in Nashville for domestic and international booking.

The Week's Top Stories Full coverage in the archives at . ? CMT Music Awards revealed new venue and nominees (5/8). ? Tim Foisset was promoted to VP/Streaming at Warner Music Nashville (5/9). ? Holly Hutton added WYCD/Detroit MD duties (5/9). ? WCKN/Charleston, SC sold to Saga (5/10). ? JoJo Turnbeaugh returned to Denver as RVPP for iHeartMedia (5/10).

Wicked Pissah Beantown Hoobanger

(continued from page 1)

fantastic," Brophey says. Station stalwart Carolyn Kruse remains in middays and Kevin Kennedy has held down afternoons for the past two years. "He's one of the best on the phones I've seen," Brophey raves. "He lights it up." Renee Castle moved from Nashville to take over evenings in February 2016.

"The staff all gets along really well, and that enthusiasm comes out on the air," says Brophey. To his "fresh paint" comment, that upbeat sound came with some significant tenured departures. Afternoon host Steve Kelly left after 17 years, night host Keith Stephens departed after a 14-year run, and heritage morning show John Willis and Lori Grande had been at the station more than 12.

Beasley's acquisition of Greater Media closed Nov. 1. For Brophey, the sale was a homecoming of sorts as he worked for Beasley-owned WXTU/Philadelphia before he moved to Boston in 1996. And he's a fan. "They are giving us the tools and enthusiasm to compete," he says, pointing to direct mail as a positive addition to his marketing efforts.

Carry A Tune-In: Musically speaking, WBWL is the more current of the two stations, with WKLB splitting its more familiar slice between recurrent and gold titles. The Bull is 50% current, 30% recurrent and 20% gold. In a Mediabase snapshot last week there were two current titles in a hyper spin category ? 90+ plays a week ? four in the 60-70 spin range 10 in the 30-40 category, six in the 20s, and eight in the teens.

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