CRS-39 A Major Success

Ed Salamon

The COUNTRY RADIO SEMINAR (CRS-39), is now history, as many fought SATURDAY's early snow and ice to get to the airport and flights back to their home markets.

While official results will be in later this week the CRB (COUNTRY RADIO BROADCASTERS) are reporting a slight uptick in registrations from 2007. Although walk-ups have not been counted yet, CRB BOARD Executive Dir. ED SALAMON said that advance registrations were easily up from last year.

The event, held at the NASHVILLE CONVENTION CENTER, featured the format's biggest stars and brightest new talent. The highlight for many folks was the mini-concert by superstar GARTH BROOKS following an interview with WSIX/NASHVILLE personality GERRY HOUSE.  As promised, a programmer was chosen to take the stage and perform with BROOKS and the lucky winner was CAMELIA CITY COMMUNICATIONS Country WTHO/THOMPSON, GA MD/morning man STEVE FERGUSON.  It was a moment not to be forgotten as FERGUSON and BROOKS' sang "Friends in Low Places," backed by a full band. BROOKS' performance helped offset the cancellation of this year's keynote appearance by conservative talker SEAN HANNITY, who pulled out at the last minute. A "hot topic" panel on performance royalties was substituted at the last minute.

Some of the standout panels this year included "I'm Just the Song," a discussion on the breakdown of a hit single from the demo process early on to its final destination on the charts. The panel used BILLY CURRINGTON's "Good Directions" as the example song.

"Raising the Bar, The Sequel" was the followup to last year's original concept of some of the industry's main gate-keepers sitting around a bar talking about the industry's biggest challenges, with the moderator taking the part of the bartender -- the bartender was USA TODAY Country Editor BRIAN MANSFIELD. Panelists included CBS' JEFF GARRISON, McVAY MEDIA's CHARLIE COOK, VALORY MUSIC CO. artist JEWEL, WARNER BROS.' artist JOHN RICH, SONY BMG Chairman JOE GALANTE and VALORY MUSIC CO. COO and Pres. SCOTT BORCHETTA.

As with past COUNTRY RADIO SEMINARS, this year's event highlighted great music. And while the standout performances are too many to mention, standouts included appearances by BRAD PAISLEY, TAYLOR SWIFT, SUGARLAND, KENNY CHESNEY, MONTGOMERY GENTRY, The LOST TRAILERS, TRACE ADKINS,  CRYSTAL SHAWANDA, KEITH ANDERSON, JAMES OTTO, SARA EVANS and many, many more.

CRS-40 has already been scheduled for MARCH 4th-6th, 2009. For information and to apply for the CRS-AGENDA COMMITTEE, call (615) 327-4487 or visit www.crb.org.

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