January 31, 2022, Issue 792
Red Street Takes Country Road
Last week’s launch of Red Street Records’ new country label (Breaking News 1/27) had Owner/CEO Jay DeMarcus enlisting experienced country pros Alex Valentine, Johnny Chiang, Kelly King and Sally Allgeier – and a slew of high-profile consultants. Country Aircheck spoke with DeMarcus, Valentine and King about the formation of and plans for Red Street Country. “I’ve always had it in the back of my mind,” says DeMarcus of starting a country division. Recent Jay DeMarcus Alex Valentine successes on the Christian side led to a conversation with the label’s CoOwner/Chairman Dan Crockett about a broader vision. That was late November. “I’ve been building staff and putting pieces into place the Johnny Chiang Kelly King last couple of months,” DeMarcus says. “It’s been a breakneck pace.” DeMarcus started Red Street in 2018, with Crockett joining in 2020. “He was the CEO and owner of Franklin American Mortgage, Sally Allgeier Dan Crockett which he sold in 2016,” DeMarcus says. “When [Rascal Flatts’] farewell tour was postponed and eventually cancelled, I was working every day at the label – funding it myself – and got to the point of wanting to bring on a partner.” (continued on page 1)
Wanna Be A Waller: WRBT/Harrisburg’s Jeff Hurley (l) and Newman present the station’s St. Jude radiothon total ($174,225) in front of the BOB 94.9 Wall of Hope.
Moore-nings On The Radio
Country performers doubling as radio hosts is both a throwback to the format’s origins and accepted present day strategy (CAW 1/18). What may be unprecedented, however, is a country singer cracking the mic every morning for a Sports-Talk station, which is what Valory’s Justin Moore has been doing since joining co-hosts David Bazzell, Roger Scott and R.J. Hawk as part of Morning Morning Mayhem: David Mayhem on Sports KABZ/ Bazzell, Moore, Roger Scott and Little Rock (“103.7 The R.J. Hawk (l-r). Buzz”) last month (CAW 12/29/21). A listen to the show quickly reveals it is less traditional sports talk and more guys talking guy stuff – which in Arkansas means a lot about the
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