Country Music Invades Vegas

THE PROGRAM DIRECTOR’S CORNER

This weekend, the country music industry packs its bags and heads to Las Vegas for the 49^th Academy of Country Music Awards. The festivities begin tonight (Friday, April 4^th) for a lot of the artists. Some have shows around town while others have obligations to their record label to hang with cohorts, friends, dignitaries, VIPs and schmooze.

Saturday you might find your favorite country singer playing slots during the day. Some may be lounging poolside at their hotel (they don’t ALL stay at the MGM Grand, by the way), and some may be sampling the Vegas lifestyle.

If you’re a country music fan, and I’m assuming you are since you’re reading this, and have never been to the ACM Awards, you should put it on your bucket list. It’s one of country music’s TWO biggest nights of the year and it’s in OUR neck of the woods! It’s a lot easier to get to Las Vegas from the Treasure Valley than it is to get to Nashville.

It’s a great time in a fun city, and you may end up rubbing elbows with some of country music’s superstars. You may also meet the next class of country stars, on their way up and willing to sign autographs and take pictures until the last person standing goes away happy.

From a radio point of view, it’s what I love about the artists we play on Wow 104.3. The ACM Awards provide a venue for the fans to possibly mingle with the stars. Stars that remember it’s about the fans of the format and everyone is important. Stars that remember what it was like before they ever thought they’d be nominated for an ACM Award, let alone make it to the “big show”. Stars that, more often than not, still say “thank you country radio” when they accept their trophy.

As a radio guy. I appreciate that. Rarely do you see stars from other genres say thank you to radio.

Enjoy the ACM Awards this Sunday night. Put a trip to the awards on your bucket list. You deserve it!