1 00:00:01,120 --> 00:00:09,400 Speaker 1: Podcast play doun Well, I'm so happy to be in 2 00:00:09,520 --> 00:00:12,239 Speaker 1: Nashville for this episode of Taking a Walk with a 3 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:16,120 Speaker 1: Man who has his fingers on the pulse of Music City. 4 00:00:16,880 --> 00:00:20,840 Speaker 1: R J. Curtis is the executive director of the Country 5 00:00:20,960 --> 00:00:26,480 Speaker 1: Radio Broadcasters Association, responsible for, among other things, the Outstanding 6 00:00:26,560 --> 00:00:31,520 Speaker 1: Country Radio Seminar. Ur Jay's career spans every aspect of 7 00:00:31,520 --> 00:00:35,120 Speaker 1: the business, starting in radio as a baby teenager DJ, 8 00:00:35,640 --> 00:00:38,280 Speaker 1: which is amazing to me since he's he's only in 9 00:00:38,320 --> 00:00:44,200 Speaker 1: his early thirties right now. So, Rja, thanks for being 10 00:00:44,240 --> 00:00:48,120 Speaker 1: on the Taking a Walk podcast. Thank you. It's I 11 00:00:48,280 --> 00:00:52,760 Speaker 1: like this idea of you know, walking around. Yeah, walking 12 00:00:52,840 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: as a has a lot of benefits, doesn't it. Yeah. Yeah, 13 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:06,520 Speaker 1: he's where we are. We're on Sixteenth Avenue South, the 14 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:12,399 Speaker 1: heart of Music Row. There's a famous song from the 15 00:01:12,440 --> 00:01:14,600 Speaker 1: early eighties. I think it came out in nineteen eighty 16 00:01:14,640 --> 00:01:17,760 Speaker 1: by Lacy J. Dalton called Sixteenth Avenue. You may have 17 00:01:17,760 --> 00:01:20,960 Speaker 1: played it somewhere in your radio journey, but I always 18 00:01:21,000 --> 00:01:24,319 Speaker 1: love the line, God blessed the boys who make the 19 00:01:24,360 --> 00:01:27,679 Speaker 1: noise on Sixteenth Avenue. I love that, And so there's 20 00:01:27,680 --> 00:01:31,200 Speaker 1: been a lot of noise made on this street. Fairly 21 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:35,600 Speaker 1: notorious part of town out a good way right, yes, yes, 22 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:40,680 Speaker 1: And you know we're walking towards the end of sixteenth 23 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:45,000 Speaker 1: Avenue on Music Row, but has just about two hundred 24 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,200 Speaker 1: feet up ahead, we're going to walk past one of 25 00:01:48,200 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 1: the most famous recording studios, in my opinion, in all 26 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,560 Speaker 1: of music history, and that's the Quantt Hut that Bradley 27 00:01:56,560 --> 00:02:01,960 Speaker 1: Owens and his brother. So what's it like being in 28 00:02:02,320 --> 00:02:06,680 Speaker 1: your leadership position with the go to event of not 29 00:02:06,760 --> 00:02:12,160 Speaker 1: only the country business, but I would dare say the 30 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: seminar business in general around radio. Everybody loves this event. 31 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:20,359 Speaker 1: What's it like being in your position? You know, it's 32 00:02:20,400 --> 00:02:23,080 Speaker 1: a lot of fun. I mean, I went to CRS 33 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:27,280 Speaker 1: as an attendee for many many years before I was 34 00:02:27,320 --> 00:02:29,440 Speaker 1: involved in it. I first came to CRS in nineteen 35 00:02:29,480 --> 00:02:33,600 Speaker 1: eighty five, and I got on the agenda committee about 36 00:02:33,639 --> 00:02:38,280 Speaker 1: twelve years later, and then on the board in nineteen 37 00:02:38,360 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: ninety nine, and then you get kind of this behind 38 00:02:40,840 --> 00:02:44,320 Speaker 1: the curtains look at it. It's a lot of fun 39 00:02:44,360 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: to put together. It's a lot of work, but it's 40 00:02:47,120 --> 00:02:51,280 Speaker 1: you feel a sense of responsibility because of what you 41 00:02:51,320 --> 00:02:56,120 Speaker 1: just said, the way you frame CRS it. It is 42 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,320 Speaker 1: a go to event. People look forward to it. When 43 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:01,800 Speaker 1: we didn't have it in a real setting in person 44 00:03:01,840 --> 00:03:06,280 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty one, people were disappointed. So you feel 45 00:03:06,320 --> 00:03:10,200 Speaker 1: like you gotta deliver. You got to deliver a great 46 00:03:10,320 --> 00:03:16,880 Speaker 1: educational curriculum. You got to deliver speakers, the luncheons, the lineup, 47 00:03:17,000 --> 00:03:22,359 Speaker 1: new face is the whole thing. And it's honestly, it's 48 00:03:22,400 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: a challenging job, but it's one of the coolest jobs 49 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:28,320 Speaker 1: I've ever had. I really enjoy it. Okay, So this 50 00:03:28,400 --> 00:03:30,200 Speaker 1: is what you were talking about here. This is the 51 00:03:30,400 --> 00:03:34,400 Speaker 1: historic site of Decca Records and the Quancet Hut, the 52 00:03:34,520 --> 00:03:36,960 Speaker 1: Quantt Hut. Now, originally it's all been built up. There's 53 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,240 Speaker 1: a new facade around it. If we go to the 54 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:41,240 Speaker 1: back of the building, you can just see the outline 55 00:03:41,280 --> 00:03:44,760 Speaker 1: of the original Quantt Hut. And they literally took like 56 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,160 Speaker 1: a World War II Quantt Hut and set it down 57 00:03:47,200 --> 00:03:49,240 Speaker 1: here and then built a recording studio in it. And 58 00:03:49,280 --> 00:03:51,520 Speaker 1: some of the most famous recordings in the history of 59 00:03:51,600 --> 00:03:54,760 Speaker 1: country music happened in that room. A lot of Patsy 60 00:03:54,840 --> 00:03:58,880 Speaker 1: Klein stuff. Waylon Jennings. I went through a program here 61 00:03:58,920 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: called Leadership Music in twenty fifteen, and I sat in 62 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:07,920 Speaker 1: the middle of that room where like Waylon Jennings cut 63 00:04:08,160 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: Only Daddy That'll Walk the Line, which is one of 64 00:04:10,080 --> 00:04:12,880 Speaker 1: my favorite all time country songs, and it's just, yeah, 65 00:04:12,880 --> 00:04:15,080 Speaker 1: it's really cool in there. It's very modern. It's not 66 00:04:15,240 --> 00:04:18,000 Speaker 1: like you know, it was obviously in the forties and fifties. 67 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:21,960 Speaker 1: But I like studios. I've been to a lot of 68 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:27,599 Speaker 1: cool recording studios, excuse me, And I don't know, some 69 00:04:27,640 --> 00:04:29,680 Speaker 1: people may not feel this way. I go in there 70 00:04:29,720 --> 00:04:32,080 Speaker 1: and I feel the vibe. I think, I imagine who 71 00:04:32,160 --> 00:04:34,520 Speaker 1: was in that room and what they were doing. One 72 00:04:34,520 --> 00:04:36,680 Speaker 1: of my first experiences. And not to get off track 73 00:04:36,720 --> 00:04:39,960 Speaker 1: about CRS, but when I was at KZLA, we did 74 00:04:40,040 --> 00:04:45,479 Speaker 1: a number of events and actual live broadcasts from the 75 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:50,240 Speaker 1: studio in the Capitol Records building in the tower, and 76 00:04:50,279 --> 00:04:52,800 Speaker 1: I you know, Sinatra, the Beach Boys and all that 77 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:57,920 Speaker 1: stuff happening there buck Owens. I mean, yeah, it's pretty 78 00:04:57,920 --> 00:05:01,520 Speaker 1: cool sitting in a studio like that. So when did 79 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 1: you fall in love with country? Well, I fell in 80 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:14,080 Speaker 1: love with country country music probably about two years after 81 00:05:14,120 --> 00:05:18,560 Speaker 1: I got into the format. I didn't grow up listening 82 00:05:18,600 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 1: to country music at all, and I tell the story 83 00:05:21,240 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: and it's absolutely true. The first country song I ever 84 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:30,920 Speaker 1: listened to from start to finish because I had no choice, 85 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,320 Speaker 1: was my first night on the air as a part 86 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,960 Speaker 1: time er at KZLA, about two weeks after it flipped country. 87 00:05:36,960 --> 00:05:42,400 Speaker 1: I got a job there and never listen to country music. 88 00:05:42,440 --> 00:05:44,440 Speaker 1: And the reason I hadn't listened to a country song 89 00:05:45,040 --> 00:05:47,159 Speaker 1: from start to finish because I had a choice. I 90 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:49,200 Speaker 1: could turn it off as it came on the radio, 91 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,120 Speaker 1: but I didn't have a choice playing it. And I 92 00:05:54,240 --> 00:05:56,400 Speaker 1: fought it for a couple of years. But country music 93 00:05:56,520 --> 00:05:59,960 Speaker 1: is a I mean, if you are someone who likes 94 00:06:00,160 --> 00:06:05,240 Speaker 1: music at all, okay, it is, there's a gravitational poll. 95 00:06:05,360 --> 00:06:09,279 Speaker 1: You cannot resist it. Resistance is futile. You know. It's 96 00:06:09,320 --> 00:06:15,000 Speaker 1: just such a wonderful, intoxicating format, the stories, the songs, 97 00:06:15,480 --> 00:06:17,359 Speaker 1: you know. And I started working at KAZLA, I was 98 00:06:17,640 --> 00:06:22,440 Speaker 1: twenty years old, and you know, I was heavily into 99 00:06:22,600 --> 00:06:26,640 Speaker 1: a seventies rock and all that, and that to me 100 00:06:26,839 --> 00:06:31,000 Speaker 1: was like the ultimate. And I got into this format 101 00:06:31,080 --> 00:06:33,080 Speaker 1: and it just kind of sucked me. And it didn't 102 00:06:33,120 --> 00:06:37,360 Speaker 1: happen quickly, but once I was in I remember making it. 103 00:06:37,400 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: I did. In nineteen eighty three, I made two decisions, 104 00:06:41,720 --> 00:06:44,960 Speaker 1: life changing decisions. One was to get married and the 105 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:48,680 Speaker 1: other one was to marry country music. And that same 106 00:06:48,760 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: year I married Lori Greg and I said this is 107 00:06:52,080 --> 00:06:55,000 Speaker 1: the format I'm staying with, and I'm both were really 108 00:06:55,040 --> 00:06:58,039 Speaker 1: great decisions. I'm happy to say, Oh, that's so awesome. 109 00:06:59,120 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: So give us a state of the state right at 110 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:10,440 Speaker 1: the moment of the format of the country format. Wow, 111 00:07:10,480 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: that is such a loaded question. You know what I'm 112 00:07:16,240 --> 00:07:21,040 Speaker 1: going to say. It's good and it always has a 113 00:07:21,080 --> 00:07:25,800 Speaker 1: great potential and huge upside when you look at the 114 00:07:25,840 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: format just in pure numbers of radio stations, country always 115 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:36,960 Speaker 1: has a lot of outlets playing our music. And so 116 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:39,160 Speaker 1: that tells me that there's a big appetite for it 117 00:07:39,200 --> 00:07:43,320 Speaker 1: and it's still very viable. But inside of that, I 118 00:07:43,320 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: think it's a challenging time for country radio because it's 119 00:07:47,360 --> 00:07:50,640 Speaker 1: being attacked from so many different sides. We're in an 120 00:07:51,400 --> 00:07:55,960 Speaker 1: environment with streaming is blown up. People can invent their 121 00:07:55,960 --> 00:07:58,480 Speaker 1: own radio stations do a lot of stuff online. There's 122 00:07:58,800 --> 00:08:05,240 Speaker 1: other content out there that competes for listeners attention. It's 123 00:08:06,320 --> 00:08:10,760 Speaker 1: mainly an in car listening experience now, so it has 124 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:14,520 Speaker 1: its challenges, and then if you go really you know, 125 00:08:15,360 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 1: micro on it, then you can get into this conversation 126 00:08:18,200 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 1: about where the music is going. And this is a format. 127 00:08:23,520 --> 00:08:25,440 Speaker 1: Of course, I'm closer to it being in it, but 128 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:29,280 Speaker 1: this is a format that spends I think more time 129 00:08:29,320 --> 00:08:35,080 Speaker 1: than any other format analyzing itself and where it is. 130 00:08:35,920 --> 00:08:38,280 Speaker 1: And if you watch the Ken Burns documentary a couple 131 00:08:38,320 --> 00:08:41,120 Speaker 1: of years ago, you really saw how we in the 132 00:08:41,160 --> 00:08:45,359 Speaker 1: format and everybody involved in the making of it angts 133 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,199 Speaker 1: over where the music is. You know where it's going, 134 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:54,560 Speaker 1: you know what the future is? Is it celebrating its 135 00:08:54,640 --> 00:08:58,840 Speaker 1: legacy and its past? Enough all that, but in general, 136 00:08:58,920 --> 00:09:02,760 Speaker 1: I think there's a lot of upside still. But everything, Yeah, 137 00:09:02,800 --> 00:09:06,680 Speaker 1: everything goes through cycles, right, I mean Top forty goes 138 00:09:06,720 --> 00:09:13,680 Speaker 1: through cycles, Country goes through cycles. So that's not really 139 00:09:14,200 --> 00:09:17,080 Speaker 1: unusual for radio, right' I don't think that's unusual for 140 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:21,640 Speaker 1: any format. How you doing, re Wiseman? All right? Speak 141 00:09:21,679 --> 00:09:29,360 Speaker 1: for yourself? Yeah, I mean every format goes through highs 142 00:09:29,360 --> 00:09:31,120 Speaker 1: and lows. I mean I think about it, like, here's 143 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:35,160 Speaker 1: an example, the Class of nineteen eighty nine, Class of 144 00:09:35,160 --> 00:09:38,600 Speaker 1: eighty nine, when country really really blew up. I think 145 00:09:38,640 --> 00:09:42,160 Speaker 1: it was because of a lot of amazing music. Garth, 146 00:09:42,360 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: Clint black Brooks and Dunn, Travis Tritt, Martina McBride, all 147 00:09:46,360 --> 00:09:49,800 Speaker 1: these artists have exploded and kind of hit the mainstream. 148 00:09:50,280 --> 00:09:54,080 Speaker 1: But I also think that Top forty at the time 149 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,000 Speaker 1: was going through a little bit of a tough identity 150 00:09:57,040 --> 00:10:01,200 Speaker 1: crisis because hip hop was coming into mainstream. And I 151 00:10:01,200 --> 00:10:03,640 Speaker 1: think mainstream Top forties we're having a tough time figuring 152 00:10:03,640 --> 00:10:06,280 Speaker 1: out how to program that. Does it fit? Is it 153 00:10:06,360 --> 00:10:10,480 Speaker 1: too gangster? You know? And I think I think Country really, 154 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 1: you know, benefit benefited from that. I think we took 155 00:10:13,200 --> 00:10:15,840 Speaker 1: advantage of that in addition to having some amazing music. 156 00:10:17,240 --> 00:10:22,280 Speaker 1: So do you feel that sometimes it's true of other 157 00:10:22,360 --> 00:10:24,920 Speaker 1: formats where it can be a bit k me tooish 158 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:29,800 Speaker 1: at certain moments like once one Half begins and you know, 159 00:10:29,920 --> 00:10:33,360 Speaker 1: A and R just rushes into signing that same type 160 00:10:33,400 --> 00:10:38,880 Speaker 1: of artists. So I think we may be more guilty 161 00:10:38,960 --> 00:10:42,520 Speaker 1: of that, if I mean being you know, being completely 162 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,240 Speaker 1: true to ourselves. Country may be more guilty of that too. 163 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,240 Speaker 1: We'd spend a lot of time, as I said earlier, 164 00:10:48,440 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: angsting about where we are and what kind of music 165 00:10:52,360 --> 00:10:55,360 Speaker 1: and is it too country? But yes, I mean, you 166 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,000 Speaker 1: saw a little bit of that in the in the 167 00:10:57,000 --> 00:11:00,760 Speaker 1: mid nineties, when you know the Class eighty nine was 168 00:11:00,840 --> 00:11:06,240 Speaker 1: really blown up. You know, everybody wants the next I'm 169 00:11:06,280 --> 00:11:09,199 Speaker 1: not sure Garth Brooks could have been duplicated. But you know, 170 00:11:09,280 --> 00:11:12,040 Speaker 1: now I see, I'm not being critical. I'm just saying 171 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:15,360 Speaker 1: what I see. I feel like a lot of labels 172 00:11:15,360 --> 00:11:18,120 Speaker 1: are trying to find the next Luke Colmbs. You know, 173 00:11:18,200 --> 00:11:21,040 Speaker 1: that kind of regular guy, not a pretty boy, just 174 00:11:21,080 --> 00:11:23,520 Speaker 1: a regular guy who as someone I used to work 175 00:11:23,559 --> 00:11:26,520 Speaker 1: with montevat and at all she's at Country air Check now, 176 00:11:26,559 --> 00:11:28,720 Speaker 1: but when we were at All Access, Luke started blowing up, 177 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,040 Speaker 1: and she said she framed it perfectly. She said, the 178 00:11:31,040 --> 00:11:35,000 Speaker 1: reason I like Luke Colmbs is because he's a kind 179 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:36,760 Speaker 1: of guy who looks like he could write a great 180 00:11:36,800 --> 00:11:40,320 Speaker 1: country song and change your oil all on the same day. 181 00:11:40,640 --> 00:11:43,280 Speaker 1: He has that kind of everyman look. I do see 182 00:11:43,320 --> 00:11:46,360 Speaker 1: a lot of that now. I think that's appealing to 183 00:11:46,480 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 1: core country fans. But yeah, that's been going on for 184 00:11:49,480 --> 00:11:51,520 Speaker 1: a long long time. I don't think it's a bad thing. 185 00:11:52,120 --> 00:11:55,440 Speaker 1: You know, It's like, if it's working, give them more, 186 00:11:55,600 --> 00:11:58,680 Speaker 1: right exactly, Okay, we've just stopped here at a place. 187 00:11:58,760 --> 00:12:03,199 Speaker 1: Can you describe this for those that can't see it 188 00:12:03,320 --> 00:12:07,200 Speaker 1: right now? Yeah, this is We are standing in front 189 00:12:07,200 --> 00:12:10,960 Speaker 1: of a statue of a piano and a gentleman playing 190 00:12:11,000 --> 00:12:16,400 Speaker 1: the piano. And I'm going to defer to John here 191 00:12:16,520 --> 00:12:22,600 Speaker 1: this is Is this Owen Bradley. Yeah, yeah, that's Owen Bradley. 192 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,360 Speaker 1: Who is you know? Back to the quantset Hut and 193 00:12:27,080 --> 00:12:30,920 Speaker 1: sort of some of the most amazing music ever created 194 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:38,199 Speaker 1: on Music Row produced Patsy Klein. Yes, yeah, that's awesome. 195 00:12:38,280 --> 00:12:40,720 Speaker 1: Look at the yes and there's a I have to 196 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:42,719 Speaker 1: say that I don't know that I've ever really stopped here. 197 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:45,480 Speaker 1: I've driven by This is a circle, by the way, 198 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:49,040 Speaker 1: for those of anyone listening, We're in a traffic circle 199 00:12:49,600 --> 00:12:52,320 Speaker 1: here at the end of Music Row, and I've walked 200 00:12:52,360 --> 00:12:54,360 Speaker 1: by here, and I've driven by it a million times 201 00:12:54,360 --> 00:12:57,720 Speaker 1: that I don't know that I've ever stopped and shook 202 00:12:57,720 --> 00:12:59,840 Speaker 1: hands with mister Bradley here. Well, you need to get 203 00:12:59,840 --> 00:13:02,200 Speaker 1: out and take a walk or I do. That's why 204 00:13:02,240 --> 00:13:04,839 Speaker 1: you're here. I'm so glad you're in town. Yeah, it's therapeutic, 205 00:13:05,160 --> 00:13:11,640 Speaker 1: beautiful day here. Absolutely so talk about music discovery as 206 00:13:11,679 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 1: far as radio first, and then we'll talk about it 207 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:19,079 Speaker 1: as it relates to streaming services as well. So how 208 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:25,000 Speaker 1: is music discovery occurring for consumers of country music these days? 209 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 1: I think it's happening online primarily. I think streaming services 210 00:13:30,840 --> 00:13:34,160 Speaker 1: you know, Spotify and Amazon and Pandora. I think they 211 00:13:34,200 --> 00:13:37,719 Speaker 1: own that lane right now. A lot of it has 212 00:13:37,760 --> 00:13:40,440 Speaker 1: to do with just the amount of music that they 213 00:13:40,480 --> 00:13:44,000 Speaker 1: can put on their site and playlists, and people can 214 00:13:44,000 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 1: generate their own lists and find songs country radio. This 215 00:13:50,240 --> 00:13:55,040 Speaker 1: might sound harsh, but I feel like, just not intentionally, 216 00:13:55,120 --> 00:13:57,040 Speaker 1: but I just I feel like they kind of surrendered 217 00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:01,200 Speaker 1: that position about ten years ago when playlists began getting tighter. 218 00:14:04,520 --> 00:14:06,960 Speaker 1: So that's not to say that country radio isn't an 219 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:09,720 Speaker 1: important component of all this, because nobody can bring home 220 00:14:09,760 --> 00:14:13,400 Speaker 1: a record. Nobody can take a hit record and bring 221 00:14:13,400 --> 00:14:16,079 Speaker 1: it to critical mass like country radio can. I mean 222 00:14:16,080 --> 00:14:19,240 Speaker 1: there is. That's something that DSPs will never be able 223 00:14:19,280 --> 00:14:22,320 Speaker 1: to do in my opinion, you know, because when all 224 00:14:22,560 --> 00:14:26,200 Speaker 1: of country radio, particularly the reporting stations, are on a 225 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: record and they're all playing it in heavy rotation across 226 00:14:29,600 --> 00:14:32,960 Speaker 1: the country, it can take a hit record and take 227 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:36,360 Speaker 1: it from here to here and put it into hyperspace 228 00:14:36,560 --> 00:14:38,880 Speaker 1: and that creates all sorts of opportunities for the artist, 229 00:14:39,440 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: national TV bookings, maybe some commercial opportunities in terms of 230 00:14:44,320 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 1: the music being synked out and licensed and touring and 231 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:52,480 Speaker 1: then merch. So I really feel like radio has a 232 00:14:52,640 --> 00:14:55,680 Speaker 1: very big role. Maybe on the front end not so much, 233 00:14:56,280 --> 00:14:58,240 Speaker 1: but when they get behind something that's new and on 234 00:14:58,280 --> 00:15:00,040 Speaker 1: the front end, when they decide to do that, I 235 00:15:00,080 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 1: think they're still very, very impactful. They still have that power. 236 00:15:03,440 --> 00:15:09,640 Speaker 1: Just the reach of radio alone creates opportunity. So the 237 00:15:09,720 --> 00:15:15,920 Speaker 1: curation aspect, though, where personalities play a role, we obviously 238 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,640 Speaker 1: have well, we have a global audience listening to this, 239 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:21,600 Speaker 1: but we have a lot of people because of my 240 00:15:22,400 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 1: affiliation with the radio business and the radio business listening 241 00:15:26,400 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: and in an era where personalities seem to be disappearing, 242 00:15:30,680 --> 00:15:36,320 Speaker 1: frequently talk about why they shouldn't disappear when it relates 243 00:15:36,360 --> 00:15:41,880 Speaker 1: to curation and music discovery, because I don't think you 244 00:15:41,960 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: can create enthusiasm and passion, interest, all those things unless 245 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:52,080 Speaker 1: you have a human being behind the microphone endorsing that 246 00:15:52,240 --> 00:15:55,320 Speaker 1: and talking about how exciting it was. I think it's 247 00:15:55,320 --> 00:15:57,520 Speaker 1: so cool when you hear a radio personality who went 248 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:01,360 Speaker 1: to our show the night before talking about that one 249 00:16:01,440 --> 00:16:03,800 Speaker 1: moment in the show. You know, maybe it was the 250 00:16:03,800 --> 00:16:05,680 Speaker 1: moment where all the cell phones came out and the 251 00:16:05,760 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: lights went on. Maybe it was a song. Maybe it's 252 00:16:08,040 --> 00:16:11,240 Speaker 1: one just a show stopping experience. There's nothing that can 253 00:16:11,320 --> 00:16:15,000 Speaker 1: duplicate that, like someone preaching that word and being an 254 00:16:15,000 --> 00:16:18,800 Speaker 1: evangelist for the music, or it's something that they heard 255 00:16:19,480 --> 00:16:21,560 Speaker 1: on an album cut or this single and they just 256 00:16:21,600 --> 00:16:25,120 Speaker 1: get all behind that because radio listeners do look to 257 00:16:25,360 --> 00:16:28,400 Speaker 1: personalities to lead the way for them. I still think 258 00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:31,400 Speaker 1: that's happening, and I think that's really really important. So 259 00:16:31,440 --> 00:16:33,840 Speaker 1: they may not the radio personalities on the air, they 260 00:16:33,880 --> 00:16:35,680 Speaker 1: may not be curating the music in the sense that 261 00:16:35,720 --> 00:16:39,280 Speaker 1: they're creating the playlist and picking the songs, but they 262 00:16:39,320 --> 00:16:43,280 Speaker 1: are curators in the fact that they can really move 263 00:16:43,320 --> 00:16:46,400 Speaker 1: the needle, create excitement, and get the listeners to rally 264 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:50,760 Speaker 1: behind their enthusiasm for new artists and you know, live 265 00:16:50,880 --> 00:16:56,320 Speaker 1: moments and music. So do you do you feel like 266 00:16:56,600 --> 00:17:04,159 Speaker 1: ownership earth of radio companies gets that. I'm not sure 267 00:17:04,200 --> 00:17:07,639 Speaker 1: ownership does. I think boots on the ground does, and 268 00:17:07,840 --> 00:17:12,560 Speaker 1: I think that the executive level of radio, the programmers, 269 00:17:15,240 --> 00:17:17,040 Speaker 1: and I think that's the important part, because they're doing 270 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:19,960 Speaker 1: all they can. You know, as challenged as radio is 271 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:22,280 Speaker 1: with budgets and you look at you know, Beasley just 272 00:17:22,359 --> 00:17:25,240 Speaker 1: laid off a bunch of people, Odyssey has done that, 273 00:17:25,440 --> 00:17:29,800 Speaker 1: as challenged as they are with you know, personnel and 274 00:17:29,880 --> 00:17:34,320 Speaker 1: the workforce. The people that I know on radio that 275 00:17:34,359 --> 00:17:37,000 Speaker 1: are at the station level or even at a corporate level, 276 00:17:37,640 --> 00:17:40,840 Speaker 1: they are so enthusiastic about the business and the music 277 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,040 Speaker 1: that has it's harder for them to do their job 278 00:17:44,080 --> 00:17:46,359 Speaker 1: because they don't have the resources at the station level, 279 00:17:46,800 --> 00:17:52,919 Speaker 1: but they are radio Now. Everyone I've ever met in radio, 280 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:57,040 Speaker 1: it's like very mission driven, you know, It's I don't 281 00:17:57,040 --> 00:17:58,880 Speaker 1: know if I've ever really met anybody in radio who 282 00:17:58,920 --> 00:18:00,920 Speaker 1: just looks at it as a job, as a means 283 00:18:00,960 --> 00:18:02,960 Speaker 1: to an end. A lot of people got in radio 284 00:18:02,960 --> 00:18:05,000 Speaker 1: because they were passionate about something they heard on the 285 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:07,439 Speaker 1: radio or whatever part of the business they wanted to 286 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:10,359 Speaker 1: be in. That's why they did it. And once you 287 00:18:10,359 --> 00:18:13,320 Speaker 1: get into the business, you do feel that mission to 288 00:18:13,400 --> 00:18:17,280 Speaker 1: serve your community and your listeners. And if you're really 289 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,800 Speaker 1: tied into a married to the format, then you feel 290 00:18:20,840 --> 00:18:23,880 Speaker 1: an obligation to serve the greater good of the format. 291 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,440 Speaker 1: And I think in country radio, the people I know 292 00:18:27,720 --> 00:18:31,400 Speaker 1: at the station level, the enthusiasm is just as strong 293 00:18:31,480 --> 00:18:34,040 Speaker 1: as it ever has been, and maybe stronger because they 294 00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:36,959 Speaker 1: have to fight so much harder and they're out there fighting. 295 00:18:36,960 --> 00:18:40,000 Speaker 1: They're fighting for artists, they're fighting for their community, and 296 00:18:40,040 --> 00:18:42,720 Speaker 1: they're fighting for their listeners. I really believe that. I 297 00:18:42,760 --> 00:18:48,960 Speaker 1: don't think anybody radio people they're frustrated, but they're not defeated. 298 00:18:50,320 --> 00:18:53,639 Speaker 1: But I also think you pointed out something relating to 299 00:18:53,680 --> 00:18:58,199 Speaker 1: the country format, which is the fact that you know, 300 00:18:58,600 --> 00:19:01,520 Speaker 1: in a lot of other formats there's not as many 301 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:07,080 Speaker 1: head to head battles and markets anymore, and because maybe 302 00:19:07,119 --> 00:19:10,800 Speaker 1: there's just not you know, people at stations to you know, 303 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:14,159 Speaker 1: care in that regard. But you know, back to your 304 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,159 Speaker 1: comment about the mission driven nature of country, there are 305 00:19:18,640 --> 00:19:21,480 Speaker 1: head to head country battles that still matter to this day, 306 00:19:21,520 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 1: aren't there? Oh yeah, yeah, yeah. Look at markets at Houston, Phoenix, 307 00:19:27,480 --> 00:19:32,919 Speaker 1: there's one in Seattle, Atlanta and smaller markets. Yeah, And 308 00:19:33,000 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 1: I think that's healthy. I think it's healthy. You know 309 00:19:35,840 --> 00:19:38,000 Speaker 1: that I was in two markets when I was in 310 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:41,960 Speaker 1: radio that were pretty pretty fierce battles. One in San Antonio. 311 00:19:41,960 --> 00:19:45,120 Speaker 1: That's also another one. I didn't mention that, and that's 312 00:19:45,119 --> 00:19:50,000 Speaker 1: been going on for decades, right, And in Phoenix, I 313 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:53,080 Speaker 1: was at Canix and Camel was an upstart. When I 314 00:19:53,119 --> 00:19:56,199 Speaker 1: was there, they launched Camels. That's how long ago that was. 315 00:19:56,280 --> 00:20:00,679 Speaker 1: It was nineteen eighty eight. And yeah, you want the 316 00:20:00,720 --> 00:20:03,919 Speaker 1: market share, but I think that everybody in those in 317 00:20:03,960 --> 00:20:08,199 Speaker 1: those situations was there to serve the greater good of 318 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:12,200 Speaker 1: the format, to drive usage of the format to a 319 00:20:12,280 --> 00:20:17,560 Speaker 1: higher level, and to win, right. Yeah, sure, people wave 320 00:20:17,600 --> 00:20:20,840 Speaker 1: the flag and they get really happy about driving a 321 00:20:20,880 --> 00:20:23,119 Speaker 1: competitor out of the format, but I'm not sure people 322 00:20:23,160 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: really like to do that because if there's a hole, 323 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:27,800 Speaker 1: somebody's going to jump right in there, and then you 324 00:20:27,920 --> 00:20:31,959 Speaker 1: got a whole another competitor you don't know anything about. So, 325 00:20:32,080 --> 00:20:37,240 Speaker 1: but the Country Radio Association embraces not just terrestrial radio 326 00:20:37,359 --> 00:20:42,760 Speaker 1: in the traditional sense. It embraces all forms of radio 327 00:20:43,359 --> 00:20:48,160 Speaker 1: delivery systems. Right, the Country Music Association, Yes, yeah, right, yeah, 328 00:20:48,920 --> 00:20:53,399 Speaker 1: for sure. Yeah, that's that's there, that's their charter, right, 329 00:20:54,040 --> 00:20:57,800 Speaker 1: that's important, very important to them. I'm a board member 330 00:20:57,840 --> 00:20:59,920 Speaker 1: now and I'm learning more and more about how they're 331 00:20:59,920 --> 00:21:03,280 Speaker 1: going about that. Yeah, they have a lot of initiatives 332 00:21:03,280 --> 00:21:06,240 Speaker 1: that some of us don't ever hear about. You can't 333 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:09,760 Speaker 1: ignore what's there, No, right, I mean, that doesn't seem 334 00:21:09,800 --> 00:21:16,040 Speaker 1: like a wise strategy. No. Now, So in closing, talk 335 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:23,480 Speaker 1: about the authenticity of the country artists. Everybody always talks about, 336 00:21:23,520 --> 00:21:27,439 Speaker 1: you know, just how delightful they are to deal with that, 337 00:21:27,600 --> 00:21:31,960 Speaker 1: you know, coming to you know, your event. Uh, you know, 338 00:21:32,119 --> 00:21:38,000 Speaker 1: it's it's a rejoicing moment of celebration and camaraderie and 339 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:46,639 Speaker 1: smiles and goodwill. What's the deal? Why are they so nice? 340 00:21:47,920 --> 00:21:50,359 Speaker 1: You know what? I don't I think it has to 341 00:21:50,400 --> 00:21:56,199 Speaker 1: do with the connection that they build with listeners and 342 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:03,399 Speaker 1: a responsibility to to build a stronger connection. You know, 343 00:22:03,720 --> 00:22:05,560 Speaker 1: country artists now are a little different. When I first 344 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:10,000 Speaker 1: got on the format, artists would come into the radio 345 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:12,680 Speaker 1: station and you'd ask them, Hey, where are you from? 346 00:22:12,920 --> 00:22:15,120 Speaker 1: Where'd you grow up? And a lot of them are 347 00:22:15,119 --> 00:22:19,080 Speaker 1: from smaller rural communities and they grew up listening to 348 00:22:19,119 --> 00:22:23,240 Speaker 1: country music on the local country radio station. And I 349 00:22:23,240 --> 00:22:27,959 Speaker 1: think some of those values, the cultural aspect of the 350 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:32,840 Speaker 1: authenticity and the community, the communal aspect of country music 351 00:22:32,880 --> 00:22:35,879 Speaker 1: and that kind of thing. And now It's interesting because 352 00:22:36,880 --> 00:22:40,399 Speaker 1: this generation of artists that we're coming to see now 353 00:22:40,440 --> 00:22:43,640 Speaker 1: and go to see radio stations and we meet backstage, 354 00:22:44,200 --> 00:22:47,560 Speaker 1: they may not come from a rural community, or if 355 00:22:47,600 --> 00:22:52,000 Speaker 1: they do, their tech savvy. And I remember actually when 356 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:56,080 Speaker 1: I was at all Access, I interviewed TJ Osborne and 357 00:22:56,160 --> 00:22:59,680 Speaker 1: I was asking them about the difference between the radio 358 00:22:59,760 --> 00:23:05,560 Speaker 1: gener the iPod generation, and the streaming generation. And so now, 359 00:23:05,840 --> 00:23:10,040 Speaker 1: if you're a teenager or early twenties artist, you're a 360 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,679 Speaker 1: digital native. For the most part. You've grown up with 361 00:23:12,840 --> 00:23:15,240 Speaker 1: a device in your hand that's your radio. It's not 362 00:23:15,359 --> 00:23:19,120 Speaker 1: just the radio that was on the kitchen table or 363 00:23:19,440 --> 00:23:21,960 Speaker 1: just in the car. They're listening to everything. So their 364 00:23:22,040 --> 00:23:25,000 Speaker 1: world in terms of what they've been exposed to, is 365 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:28,480 Speaker 1: a lot bigger. And I think that's a great thing actually, 366 00:23:29,040 --> 00:23:33,000 Speaker 1: because country music artists from thirty forty fifty years ago 367 00:23:33,119 --> 00:23:37,919 Speaker 1: came to it with a smaller example of what country 368 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,439 Speaker 1: music could be for them, and in many ways they 369 00:23:40,440 --> 00:23:45,200 Speaker 1: were sort of just impersonating or finding their own voice 370 00:23:45,480 --> 00:23:48,360 Speaker 1: among the influences that they had at a smaller level. Now, 371 00:23:48,440 --> 00:23:51,480 Speaker 1: country artists have all sorts of things coming at them, 372 00:23:51,520 --> 00:23:54,200 Speaker 1: and I think it's awesome when you meet a young 373 00:23:54,320 --> 00:23:57,119 Speaker 1: artist and maybe they didn't listen to country music that 374 00:23:57,200 --> 00:23:59,280 Speaker 1: much when they were young, but then they discovered it 375 00:23:59,359 --> 00:24:04,280 Speaker 1: later in life, and all those other influences that affected 376 00:24:04,320 --> 00:24:08,160 Speaker 1: them sort of come in and coagulate into what their 377 00:24:08,200 --> 00:24:11,679 Speaker 1: perception and their interpretation of country music is. And I 378 00:24:11,720 --> 00:24:13,840 Speaker 1: think it makes it fascinating. I think it's great. I 379 00:24:13,920 --> 00:24:19,320 Speaker 1: welcome it so and I still think it's authentic. It's 380 00:24:19,359 --> 00:24:21,919 Speaker 1: a different kind of authenticism. It's not built on small 381 00:24:21,960 --> 00:24:25,560 Speaker 1: town rural America. It's built on having access to the 382 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:31,040 Speaker 1: whole world global music through the Internet. But by and large, 383 00:24:31,320 --> 00:24:33,400 Speaker 1: I can't tell you that I've met many country artists 384 00:24:33,800 --> 00:24:37,560 Speaker 1: that are assholes. You know, They're just there are people. 385 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,120 Speaker 1: You know. You hear personalities say this, and you hear 386 00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:45,600 Speaker 1: people who are inside this town say this. It's true 387 00:24:45,640 --> 00:24:47,840 Speaker 1: that most of the artists that I've met are people 388 00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:50,400 Speaker 1: that you could sit down and have a beer with, 389 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:52,600 Speaker 1: or have a like a conversation, or stand on the 390 00:24:52,600 --> 00:24:58,000 Speaker 1: corner in Nashville and talk to. I'm smiling because I agree. Yeah, 391 00:24:58,040 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 1: I mean, I love it. It's one of the things 392 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:02,680 Speaker 1: I love the most about it. And I really appreciate 393 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,480 Speaker 1: you taking a walk and welcome me to to Nashville. 394 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,560 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're here. Hope we do it again. Taking 395 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:14,879 Speaker 1: a Walk with Buzznight is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, 396 00:25:15,040 --> 00:25:17,200 Speaker 1: or wherever you get your podcasts.