Out Like A Lion

Country music was in the spotlight at NRG Stadium/Rodeo Houston this month, a stadium filled with loud fans for the final weekend.

The King, George Strait, played for 80,000-plus after more seats were added. The promoters removed the animals and the dirt to create more room for the King. He was as great as ever. Hard to believe that many Country stations play him very little. Too busy playing lesser, younger acts.

Chris Stapleton and Brad Paisley played to capacity houses plus or minus 72,000. They’re two great Country music stars with 180-degree different approaches to playing live. The masses loved them both.

Reba McEntire will play the Academy Awards this weekend, her first Oscar performance since 1991. She’s another artist getting far too little radio airtime.

Garth Brooks is taking control of Camping World Stadium in Orlando Saturday the 26th. You know that will be a full house and a loud, sing-along night.

Stadiums, not arenas, filled with Country music fans. Is it possible radio has a programming disconnect? Maybe it was the bro country style that sounded awkward next to any of the above artists.

If you haven’t gotten the memo, ’90s Country is hot right now, and Brad, Chris, George, Brooks & Dunn, Reba and Alan Jackson are playing stadiums and Vegas and getting great reviews.

At a time when radio is fighting to be a broadcast as well as a streaming service, you better figure out your music mix. Luke Combs and, especially, Morgan Wallen can be welded together. Someone is not a star just because a cable service or some media outlet says they are. Don’t take the bait! Play what your audience wants to hear. Get connected again.

Hard to believe that even needs to be said.

Condolences to Country Music Hall of Fame member Hank Williams Jr., who lost his wife of 30 years, Mary Jane Thomas, this week.

Oh yeah, Vince Gill is going back on tour with his band, one of the must-see events this summer. Date night for sure. A great singer, picker and funny!

Luke Combs tested positive for Covid and was unable to tape his planned CMT Awards performance. Taping for an awards show …hmmmm. The ACMs did some of that recently. Having a canned performance is not going to create the kind of must-see event TV they will need -- live, happening now. Maybe those days are gone, or maybe they don’t know how to do that kind of show anymore.