The Road And The Radio

Country music is selling out coast to coast, even in what were once considered nontraditional country markets. But the two biggest markets in the United States have no country radio stations for promoters to hang their hats on.

"The reason there are not stations in New York City and Los Angeles is because corporate radio economics don't always correspond to what the people want," says Scott Siman, manager for Tim McGraw. "You can choose to look at it as a negative, or you can view it as an opportunity to grow in the future."

The country touring business feels the absence, but is working around the pothole. "People are clamoring for country music," says Rod Essig of Creative Artists Agency Nashville, agency for Tim McGraw and Faith Hill, who together sold out New York and Los Angeles on their summer Soul2Soul II tour. "I don't know if they're missing the boat so much in New York, but in Los Angeles we're hearing huge complaints about not having country radio."

McGraw and Hill sold out two nights in New York and three in Los Angeles. "But the sales figures for L.A. are extraordinary compared to New York, per capita," Essig says. "L.A. is a lot more rural than New York. California is still a very agricultural state, and Los Angeles has much, much more of a base for country music."

When it comes to promoting shows not on the level of Soul2Soul, the lack of radio in Los Angeles is "hurting us right now," Essig says. "With [Los Angeles venues like] the Greek Theatre or the Universal Amphitheater, we're hearing from the promoters, 'Where are we going to promote this?' What I think will happen is we'll take a lot of our stuff down to the Pond in Anaheim and we'll use KFROG [country KFRG, in San Bernardino]."

Brian O'Connell, president of Live Nation's country division, says he would love to have big, powerful country radio in New York and Los Angeles. "But my saying is, 'Nobody ever bought a ticket to see a promoter, a radio station or a building.' They buy tickets to see artists. Look at what we've done in New York this year. We had the CMA Awards there, Tim and Faith sold out, Kenny [Chesney] sold out and Rascal Flatts is gonna sell out Madison Square flippin' Garden."

Still, O'Connell agrees that the lack of a country format in the markets handcuffs promotion. "You don't have your big running back to go to," he says. "You've got to be creative, go to print or television. It costs more, especially in New York, but the true talent and the big-time artists will rise to the top, and people know who they are."

XM Satellite Radio has taken over production of the Los Angeles market's annual fan appreciation show, but O'Connell and Essig predict there will be a new terrestrial country radio station in Los Angeles within 60 to 90 days.

"What I hear is they're getting ready to flip something," Siman adds. "Country has done so well in that market, and there are so many people, somebody will flip it." —RW