September 12, 2022, Issue 824
Making Multi-Media Work
Multiple hats are more rule than exception in radio these days: programmer, on-air personality, remote tech and even engineer tasks can be required within the same week, if not the same day. Perhaps accelerated by the pandemic and radio’s ongoing challenges, the need for personalities to work across platforms is increasing. Country Aircheck spoke to a few such multi-media personalities for their thoughts on balancing those roles – and life. Long known as a Nashville-based television music journalist, Kelly Sutton can now be found juggling one of her many roles: Ryman Hospitality Classic Country WSM-AM/ Nashville & Circle television network Coffee, Kelly Sutton Country & Cody morning co-host; Silverfish Media syndicated Y’all Access With Kelly Sutton weekend personality; Amazon Music “DJ Mode” voice; Amazon Country Heat Weekly host; and the first female to serve as a regular announcer for the Grand Ole Opry. How is she managing that workload? “I’m not,” she answers honestly. “I have a fantastic husband who supports me, an understanding Hunter Kelly daughter who knows sometimes she’ll just have to text dad if she has a question, and an incredible team – including my right hand, my producer Joyce Rizer – who keep me sane. It’s a total team effort.” Sutton maintains that, while busy, the opportunity to pour her talents into multiple creative outlets has both expanded her brand and helped her continue to be open to new ideas and opportunities. Yes Way: Multi-media personality Hunter Joe Breezy Kelly agrees with that assessment. While he currently hosts two shows for Apple Music Country – Proud Radio and Neon Songbook Radio – Kelly has utilized the latter to launch an episodic podcast focused on the life and legacy of Country Music Hall of Famers The Judds. (continued on page 6)
Roll Play: Stoney Creek’s Jelly Roll visits the SiriusXM and Pandora team in Nashville. Pictured (l-r) are Pandora’s Johnny Chiang; SiriusXM’s Kathleen Shea, “Trapper John” Morris and Steve Blatter; Jelly Roll; the label’s Mary Forest Campbell; and SXM/Pandora’s Alina Thompson.
NSHOF: Steve Wariner
Spotlighting inductees ahead of the Oct. 30 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala begins with Steve Wariner. After a chance meeting led to joining Dottie West’s band, Wariner went on to earn 14 No. 1s, more than 30 Top 10 singles, three gold albums, four Grammy and CMA Awards and three ACM Awards, in addition to penning songs for artists including Garth Brooks, Keith Urban, Kenny Rogers and Conway Twitty. I met [Dottie] when I was 17, and by the time I turned 18, I was already down here working for her. I used to walk on her bus, and Steve Wariner she’d ask, “What did you write this week?” She was the first person that really pushed my songwriting. She was also the first person I was around that kept a journal with a running file of all her songs to keep it organized, which I’ve done. I’ve got notebooks through all the years that I’ve
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