Country Corner

THAT'S COUNTRY: Up 204 plays, Kenny Chesney's "How Forever Feels" (BNA) rises 2-1 on Hot Country Singles & Tracks, his second chart-topper. Chesney peaked at No. 1 with "She's Got It All" in the Aug. 30, 1997, issue.
"How Forever Feels" is heard on each of our 162 monitored stations, and the airplay leaders this issue include WGRL Indianapolis, with 61 spins, and KIKK Houston, with 56, while WSTH Columbus, Ga., finishes with 55.
Meanwhile, Chesney's song dips 1-3 on Top Country Singles Sales following a two-week reign, giving the green light to the Wilkinsons' "Fly (The Angel Song)" (Giant), which moves up 2-1. So far, the Canadian family trio has performed exceptionally well on the sales list with its first two titles. The group's debut disc, "26 Cents," peaked at No. 2 on Top Country Singles Sales in the Oct. 10, 1998, issue.
On Hot Country Singles & Tracks, "Boy Oh Boy" bows at No. 72 with 64 plays, and airplay is detected at 33 stations.
HILLBILLY HEART: Up an astonishing 1,490 spins with new airplay detected at 71 stations, Tim McGraw's "Please Remember Me" (Curb) swipes the issue's biggest increase and the most new stations on Hot Country Singles & Tracks, where it rockets 51-27. The song is playing on 119 country stations, including heavy airplay (more than 35 plays) at KIKF Anaheim, Calif., KKAT Salt Lake City, and KUPL Portland, Ore.
"Please Remember Me," written and previously recorded by Rodney Crowell, is the first single from McGraw's forthcoming "A Place In The Sun," due in stores May 4. Crowell's version of the song rose to No. 69 in the June 3, 1995, Billboard.
PEACE IN THE VALLEY: Greatest Gainer honors on Top Country Albums are handed to "Touched By An Angel: The Album" (550 Music/Epic), which gains more than 7,000 units and rises 9-5.
Watch for another increase next issue following a March 15 performance of "Somebody's Out There Watching" by the Kinleys on "Donny & Marie." That track is the lead single from the multi-artist set that includes songs by Amanda Marshall, Deana Carter, and Wynonna.
On The Billboard 200, "Touched By An Angel: The Album" rises 91-75. Meanwhile, the country list's Pacesetter roses go to "The Best Of John Denver" (Madacy) for a 65% hike.
DON'T STOP THE MUSIC: As country legend George Jones remains in critical but stable condition at Vanderbilt University's medical center following a near-fatal car wreck March 6 near Nashville, many country stations have aired Jones' 1980 classic "He Stopped Loving Her Today." According to Broadcast Data Systems, for the seven-day period prior to the mishap, 40 of our monitored stations aired the song, which is widely considered to be the genre's most important. From March 7-13, the song picked up airplay at 69 stations. On Top Country Albums, Jones' "16 Biggest Hits" (Epic) scans 2,500 units, up 1,000 (69-50).