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ENTERTAINMENT

Radio Row saves time, builds relationships

Cindy Watts
USA TODAY NETWORK - Tennessee
Thomas Rhett talks with Chris Janson at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Radio Row where artists connect with the radio community. Friday March 31, 2017, in Las Vegas, NV

LAS VEGAS – Dozens of country singers ranging from headliners Luke Bryan, Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert to up-and-comers RaeLynn, Lauren Alaina and Jon Pardi are in Las Vegas for Sunday’s 52nd Academy of Country Music Awards. But there are more reasons why the singers trekked to Sin City.

In addition to playing concerts of their own, participating in charity events and eking out time to gamble or lay by the pool, the singers also have the opportunity to visit with multiple radio stations from around the country at radio remotes. In the days leading up to the awards show, 30 stations from around the United States sent representatives to Las Vegas to set up at Cumulus|Westwood One’s Radio Row inside T-Mobile Arena.

The radio stations set up in small partitioned-off areas with microphones and video cameras. Over the course of two days, singers allot about two hours to spend on radio row visiting with the individual stations and doing interviews. To travel to meet representatives from 30 radio stations in their home states could take months.

“It’s nice to be able to knock it out in a day,” said Old Dominion’s Matthew Ramsey. “We couldn’t see them all otherwise, it would be impossible. Radio is the life blood of our industry. It’s what keeps us alive as a band and as artists. It’s important to maintain these relationships because they’re the ones that bring our music to the fans.”

Chris Young does an interview with a radio station at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Radio Row where artists connect with the radio community.
Friday March 31, 2017, in Las Vegas, NV

At one point Friday afternoon, artists including Miranda Lambert, Maren Morris, Kip Moore, Chris Young, Jon Pardi, Scotty McCreery, Billy Currington, Dan+Shay, Thomas Rhett, High Valley, Chris Janson, Lee Brice and William Michael Morgan were circulating through the sometimes cramped space. Singers move from station to station chatting about tours, new songs and doing liners.

“It’s really great for artists like us, to have our voices on the radio, talking about our new single and our tours,” said Dan Smyers of Dan+Shay. “We’re so busy touring a lot of these markets we can roll through and say, ‘Hey, our show is coming up on Sunday.’ To be able to do that all in one place is really beneficial. And it’s good to see everybody.”

For the radio stations, it’s an opportunity to stockpile enough material to last months.

“You can’t put a price on that,” said Phathead, the morning show host at WJVC on Long Island. “It’s a relationship thing as well. All the record labels and the people you need to shake hands with are here. You put everything together and you have to come. You just have to.”

It's a quick 2 hours for most artists to make the circuit at the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Radio Row where artists connect with the radio community. Friday March 31, 2017, in Las Vegas, NV