Bill Virgin's Radio Beat - February 15, 2007

Includes archive of Bill Virgin's columns fromJ une 2006 - March 2009

Postby radiofan » Wed Feb 14, 2007 8:35 pm

Thursday, February 15, 2007

On The Radio: Despite Grammy wins, the Chicks still ruffle country radio's feathers

By BILL VIRGIN
P-I REPORTER


One of the songs on the Dixie Chicks' recently released, Grammy Award-winning album "Taking the Long Way" is a not-so-veiled retort to the group's critics titled "Not Ready To Make Nice."

Apparently country radio, for which the Dixie Chicks were once a headline act, has much the same sentiment toward the vocal group.

Although the Dixie Chicks took home five awards from the Grammys, they did so with little recent support or airplay from country-music radio.

Some of that, Dixie Chicks supporters and detractors say, is the result of remarks made by singer Natalie Maines critical of President Bush, alienating many in the country audience. Others say it's because, in the words of KKWF-FM (100.7) program director Scott Mahalick, "They've left the country format."

Adds Shellie Hart, operations manager for Clear Channel stations locally including KNBQ-FM (102.9), "It seems their appeal has crossed more to Hot AC (adult contemporary), as 'Landslide' is still a strong song for them at that format."

Whatever the reason, Mahalick says, "The music hasn't tested well, the music hasn't done well. There's no real hunger for it." KKWF (The Wolf) will play a few Dixie Chicks songs that still test well, although Mahalick says those are "from before they went political."

While country station KNBQ played the Dixie Chicks around the time of their recent concert locally, "We don't get a lot of requests for them," Hart says.

The lack of airplay for the Dixie Chicks has raised the question of whether there's a disconnect between the awards, the radio audience and the music establishment of radio stations and record companies. As an Associated Press story noted, that's been particularly true in the country categories in which Grammys in recent years have been handed to acts such as Alison Krauss, Loretta Lynn and Johnny Cash that don't fit the current Nashville Establishment mold.

But it's not universally true. Carrie Underwood, another Grammy winner, does get considerable airplay. "She's country and she's embraced the format," Mahalick says.

Nor is it true in other formats. R&B singer Mary K. Blige, another big winner in the Grammys this year, "has been a staple for KUBE since her debut," says Hart.

In other radio notes:

The Metropolitan Opera performs Janacek's "Jenufa" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING-FM (98.1).

Don Riggs' guests on "Introspect Northwest" at 7 a.m. Saturday on KPTK-AM (1090) and 7 a.m. Sunday on KMPS-FM (94.1) include U.S. Rep. Jim McDermott.

Tami Kosch interviews Joe Pistone, also known as Donnie Brasco, on his new book about life as an undercover FBI agent in the mob, on "Community Matters Weekend Edition," at 7 a.m. Sunday on KPTK-AM.

The Sunday edition of Jim French's "Imagination Theatre," heard at 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday on KIXI-AM (880), includes a new Hilary Caine mystery.

KUOW-FM (94.9) presents a documentary featuring stories by and about teens on the subject of growing up, "Getting Raised," at 1 p.m. Monday.

P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.

Bill Virgin's Radio Beat ... Thursdays in The Seattle P-I
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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