September 16, 2019, Issue 671
One Week With: PD Brent Michaels
Most of us can’t completely explain our jobs and daily duties, let alone those of a differing field within the industry. That fact started an interesting conversation between peers at a conference when a PD bluntly stated, “Honestly, I don’t know what half of you guys actually do.” Here’s hoping a new Country Aircheck series, One Week With, can help fill in the blanks, beginning with, naturally, a program director. In this case, KUZZ/Bakersfield, CA PD Brent Michaels, who agreed to be our guinea pi ... Brent Michaels uh, first subject. Who Do You Think You Are: The standard elevator pitch answer to “what do you do?” can’t come close ... and even that has a way of changing. “I used to say I am in charge of everything that comes out of your speakers,” says Michaels. “But that’s no longer the truth. I am in charge of everything the brand touches.” Like Mufasa told Simba about “everything the light touches”? Cool! Michaels easily identifies his daily benchmarks: hosting middays, fielding record rep calls and emails, scheduling music, attending pre-scheduled weekly meetings and managing personnel. A typical day begins with a 4:30am PT wake-up, a workout, helping his wife get the kids ready for school and out the door and a 30-minute commute to the office with a 7am arrival. While he strives to leave work by 5:30pm each day, that varies dramatically depending upon after-hours commitments, concert events, label dinners and unforeseen changes in the daily routine. And it’s the between-the-benchmarks items that even opened Michaels’ eyes as he allowed Country Aircheck inside his world. “You don’t think about the extra responsibilities or the workload you’re carrying until you have to detail it and let someone else take an honest look at what you do each day.” So, what exactly does a week with Michaels look like on paper? Monday: He arrives at 7am to ensure the morning team has everything they need for the week. “Normally, this would have happened last week, but I was in Nashville for meetings,” (continued on page 9)
These Boots Were Made For Knockin’: Capitol’s Luke Bryan and team celebrate two week No. 1 “Knockin’ Boots.” Pictured (l-r) are KP Entertainment’s Kerri Edwards, the label’s Mike Dungan, Mike Harris, Brent Jones, Brian Wright and Royce Risser, Bryan, the label’s Chris Schuler and Bobby Young, songwriter Gordie Sampson, the label’s David Friedman and songwriters Hillary Lindsey and Jon Nite.
Country Biz Talks Country Music
Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns has been teased at CRS, previewed in Country Aircheck Weekly and promoted at Country radio for months leading into last night’s (9/15) premier episode, “The Rub,” which spanned the origins of country music through 1933. Country radio pros and industry executives were kind enough to share their feedback with Country Aircheck. KSOP/Salt Lake City PD Deb Turpin: “I’m obsessed! Learning This Is Country Music: Writer/Producer how much influence Dayton Duncan, Producer Julie Dunfey the Carters had on the and Ken Burns roots of country music
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