CRS Thursday: The Full Range Country Fans Up

March 6, 2009
Issue 3
CRS Thursday: The Full Range
The day cranked up with a full-on brush fire of industry
chatter following the compelling results of CMA’s
7,000-person consumer research study. It wound down with one
of the most mind-blowing performances in Boat Show history
(and that’s saying quite a lot) and a dispersion to you-gottabe-kidding-me events like an intimate club show with Keith
Urban and bowling with Carrie Underwood.
And then there was the sobering news that Irby Mandrell
died Thursday at Nashville’s Baptist Hospital at the age of
84. His daughter Barbara, the subject of Friday’s Life Of A
Legend session, told CRB she would keep the commitment,
saying it’s what her father would have wanted her to do.
“Our family and some friends were standing around my
daddy’s bed at Baptist Hospital when he passed peacefully
on to his heavenly home,” she said in a statement released
late Thursday night. “I’m speaking for all of my family,
especially my sisters Louise and Irlene, when I say he was our
hero and we will miss him always.” Visitation will be held
at Goodlettsville, TN’s Forest Lawn Funeral Home Saturday
(3/7) from 4-6pm and Sunday (3/8) 2-3pm, with the service
immediately following.
Country Fans Up Close
The CMA study defined attributes of core and secondary
country “traditional” and “digital” music consumers who
Irby and Barbara Mandrell
make up nearly 40% of adults 18-54. About 5% of 18-54s are
classified as “CountryPhiles,” who are extremely important,
delivering eight to 10 times their weight in Country radio
listening, music purchases and concert tickets.
CountryPhiles lean 54% female, are married, Caucasian
and live primarily in small towns. Only half are online at home
(but have additional access at work), and are generally more
analog, as 83% buy country CDs vs. only 34% who buy country
downloads. Country fans favor contemporary male artists,
appreciate the core values of the music, and regard radio as
their biggest purchase driver, with nearly 80% tuning in for an
average 24 hours per month. The study offered a sea of valuable
information, available exclusively to CMA members via www.
myCMAworld.com.
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March 6, 2009
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Labels & Radio: Shapeless Cookies
The “No Cookie Cutters: A Fresh Approach to Radio and
Records” group prodded attendees out of their comfort zones,
starting with a “move to the other side of the room” first minute.
New World Communications’ Paige Neinaber said great radio
stations “play well together.” WUBE & WYGY/Cincinnati’s
Travis Moon pointed out that most people get into radio because
it’s supposed to be fun. Arista’s Skip Bishop said, “When you
walk into a radio station you can feel what their ratings are.”
WQHK/Ft. Wayne’s Rob Kelley said risk is inevitable: “What
you don’t learn from a mistake, that’s the real mistake.”
Sony Lunch
CNN’s Robin Meade introduced Jake Owen at Thursday’s
Sony-hosted luncheon, but Owen objected to the focus of
Meade’s remarks. “I’m more than just a guy with pretty
teeth,” he half-joked. Owen then backed up his words with
a top flight performance backed by his monstrously talented
band, closing with current single “Don’t Think I Can’t Love
You.” Miranda Lambert added plenty of fuel to the fire,
ripping through “Kerosene,” “Famous In A Small Town,”
“Gunpowder And Lead” and more. Sony Chairman Joe
Galante joined her on stage at the show’s close to present
plaques for gold single downloads and gold ringtone
certifications on “Gunpowder.”
Performance Royalty Debate
CMT’s SVP Jay Frank refereed a spirited “Peformance
Royalties Realities” bout between Commonwealth
Broadcasting’s Steve Newberry and SoundExchange’s John
Simson. Afterwards, consultant Bill Mayne called it a “standoff,” saying, “It provided a clear delineation of the issues
showing the merits of both sides.” WFLQ/French Lick, IN
owner Bill Willis told CA, “Before I got here, I was dead set
against it, and if it’s going to be 6% of gross revenues, I’ll fight
it all the way. But if it’s a proportion of what we pay BMI or tied
to FCC regulatory fee rates, that we can handle.”
Page 3
SpaceBook & Beyond
At the “40 New Media Ideas” session, Girilla Marketing’s
Jennie Smythe told broadcasters, “If you don’t have a MySpace
or Facebook page, get one and gain the ability to extend your
brand past your own website. My most important advice: check
your sites every day to make sure everything works, and keep
them updated every day so you can drive listeners back to your
main site.” Get all 40 ideas via www.crb.org.
The Next Generation(s)
CAA/The Intelligence Group’s Angel Ciangi detailed
Generation X & Y consumers attitudes and future trends for
radio to watch, including a renewed sense of patriotism, more
emphasis on mobile apps, the value of promoting optimism in
these troubled times, avoiding superficial content, providing
“guilty pleasures,” “escapist content” and sponsoring local/free
music events. The full presentation will be on www.crb.org.
WCRS Live!
BMI and Country Aircheck-sponsored a packed house
at WCRS Live!, featuring performances by Bobby Pinson,
Paul Overstreet, Josh Turner and Jamey Johnson. All
shared stories behind songs including, “Don’t Ask Me How I
Know,” “Everything Is Fine,” “Diggin’ Up Bones” and “High
Cost of Livin’.” Pinson stopped in the middle of Sugarland’s
“All I Want To Do” and asked the crowd if they wanted
Johnson to sing the “ooh-ooh-ooh” part. “Never,” Johnson
replied, “surround yourself with a--holes.”
Sony Boat: Many Happy Returned
Kenny Chesney took the stage first, reading lyrics as he and
songwriter Brett James previewed the BNA artist’s upcoming
single “We Went Out Last Night.” Martina McBride came on
and noted, “It’s nice of Kenny to open for me. It’s about damn
time.” Montgomery Gentry thanked radio for their first backto-back No. 1 singles by bringing Steppenwolf’s John Kay out
for a rousing “Magic Carpet Ride/Born To Be Wild” medley.
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Page 4
Turning 18: Sony/Nashville’s Butch Waugh and Tom Baldrica, Martina
McBride, Sony Music Group Chairman Rolf Schmidt-Holtz and Sony/
Nashville Chairman Joe Galante (l-r) celebrate McBride’s career album
sales topping 18 million.
Gretchen Wilson, Craig Morgan and Jason Michael Carroll
played new music, as did Carrie Underwood, who invited the
entire boatload of 650 people to go bowling with her after the
show. She wasn’t kidding.
Brad Paisley performed his upcoming single “Then,” and
noted how nerve-racking it is to play the Boat. “My wife is
pregnant and due in four weeks,” he said. “You guys are the
obstetricians of country music.” The finale was, as host Tom
Baldrica pointed out, the kind of thing you just can’t buy
a ticket for or ever hope to see in any other setting. Peter
Frampton came alive, and the audience did, too. McBride
and Underwood joined him on “Baby I Love Your Way,”
and the evening came to a heart-in-the-throat ending with an
indescribably powerful dueling guitar performance by Frampton
and Paisley on “Do You Feel Like We Do.”
Plaque Attack: Chesney (15 million career digital track sales –
best selling male artist in the format, according to Sony/Nashville
Chairman Joe Galante), McBride (18 million career album sales),
and an emotional Underwood – “it’s probably just the Dramamine
talking” (10 million career album sales from two albums).
- Lon Helton, lon@countryaircheck.com
Chuck Aly, chuck@countryaircheck.com
Jeff Green, jeff@countryaircheck.com
Erin Duvall, erin@countryaircheck.com
Lauren Tingle, lauren@countryaircheck.com
(615) 320-1450
The Day Ahead
Here’s an all-in look at the official CRS-40 proceedings for Friday,
March 6:
8-9amManager’s Breakfast – Radio Sales Day Begins
Carole Bowen (WKIS/Miami)
NCC 211-212
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9-9:50am
20 Ideas Even A PD Would Love (Sales)
Carole Bowen (WKIS/Miami), Jay Jennings (WYCD/
Detroit), Tim Roberts (WYCD/Detroit), Jennie Smythe
(Girilla Marketing) and Rick Murray (moderator).
NCC 208
10-10:50am
Research Presentation: Edison/CRB National
Country P1 Study 2009
Tom Webster (Edison Research)
NCC 204-205
10-10:50am
PPM! Selling The Country Format (Sales)
Gary Marince (Arbitron), Dave Chipman (Arbitron), Mark
Kriechen (KKBQ/Houston) and Lon Helton (moderator).
NCC 208
11-11.50am
40 Ingredients For a More Balanced Life
Bryan Frasher (BNA). Annie Sandor (WKIS), Chad Schultz
(Mozes)
11-11:50am
P-1 Perspective: What Consumers Really Want
Becky Brenner (KMPS/Seattle), Nate Deaton (KRTY/
San Jose), Mike O’Malley (moderator).
NCC 204-205
11-11:50am
What’s NTR Got To Do With It? (Sales)
Greg Burns (KMLE/Phoenix), Paul Williams (Sony/
Nashville), Jackie Campbell (WUSN/Chicago) and
Natalie Connor (WXTU/Philadelphia) (moderator). NCC 208
11-11:50am
Music Scheduling For Dummies: Better Music
Logs In Less Time
Gwen Foster (KMLE/Pheonix), Keith Hill (Keith Hill
Consulting), Greg Frey (KILT/Houston) and John
Shomby (moderator).
NCC 206
11-11:50am
Driving Revenue And Listenership Through Text
Messaging Sponsored by HipCricket
Keith Clark (WDSY/Pittsburgh), Craig Cohn (KPLX/Dallas),
Kim Grant (WIL/St. Louis) and Ivan Braiker (moderator).
NCC 211-212
After Hours
4-4:50pm
40 Ingredients For A More Balanced Life
Bryan Frasher (Sony Music), Annie Sandor (WKIS/
Miami) and Chad Schultz (Mozes).
NCC 209-210
4-6pm
Bridge Bar sponsored by BBR
Ash Bowers
Renaissance Bridge Bar
12-1:50pm
Capitol Lunch
Darius Rucker and Little Big Town NCC Performance Hall
10pm-12am
Bridge Bar sponsored by BBR
Crossin Dixion
Renaissance Bridge Bar
2-2:50pm
Take Me To Your Leader: How Great Leaders Inspire
Randy Goodman (Carolwood/Lyric Street), Johnny
Chiang (KKBQ/Houston), Scott Lindy (WUBL/
Atlanta), Judy Ellis (Citadel), Bill Jones (Cumulus) and Mick Anselmo (moderator).
NCC 204-205
10:30pm The 40th Anniversary Jam: A Musical Thanks
To Radio sponsored by Digital Rodeo
Emerson Drive, Andy Griggs, Julianne
Hough, Jamie O’Neal, James Otto,
Blake Shelton, Jimmy Wayne, Chuck
Wicks and Darryl Worley
Cadillac Ranch (305 Broadway)
2-2:50pm
40 Free Research Ideas
Sean Ross (Edison), Cassie Petrey (Crowdserf ), Jim
Kerr, Jeff Vidler (Angus – Reid Media) and Cody Alan
(moderator). NCC 108-109
2-2:50pm
Voicetracking: How To Sound Local Even When
You Are Not
Bob Pickett (KASE/Austin), Kix Layotn (WSSL/
Greenville), Angie Ward (WTQR/Raleigh) and Bruce
Logan (moderator).
NCC 209-210
2-3:20pm
Creative Closing: How To Get Clients, Keep
Clients, And Build Great Campaigns (Sales)
Kevin Neathery (Saga)
NCC 208
2-2:50pm
40 Promotional Ideas To Rev Up Your Revenue
Candace Price (Clear Channel), Craig Cohn (KPLX/
Dallas), Dave Demer and Annie Sandor (moderator).
NCC 206
3-4pm
Pardon The Interruption
Bill Bennett (Warner Bros.), Mike Dungan (Capitol),
Blake Shelton, Heidi Newfield, Scott Mahalick
(KBWF/San Francisco), John Dickey (Cumulus) and
RJ Curtis (moderator).
NCC 204-205
3:30-4:20pmA Car Dealer Tells All About Advertising (Sales)
Adam Goldsein (CBS Radio)
NCC 208
4:10-5:20pmLife Of A Legend
Barbara Mandrell, Kix Brooks (host)
NCC 204-205
5:30-6:15pm
New Faces Of Country Music Cocktail Reception
Adam Gregory
Exhibit Hall
6:30-10pm
New Faces Of Country Music Dinner & Show
Lady Antebellum, James Otto, Kellie Pickler, Chuck
Wicks, Zac Brown Band
NCC Performance Hall