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10 Questions with ... Hoss Michaels
November 20, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
After beginning a career in radio back in college at Northwest Missouri State University, Hoss Michaels - as he came to be known on-air - landed his first non-collegiate radio gig as an intern at then-CHR KXKT/Omaha in 1990. He went on to handle mornings and work PD stints in AC and Hot AC before landing in the Country format at KXBZ/Manhattan, KS in 1994 where he served as GM and PD. He has handled Dir./Promotions duties as well as on-air and programming responsibilities at KBEQ/Kansas City and KZKX/Lincoln, NE. At the beginning of 2011, Hoss found himself back where it all began - KXKT/Omaha, which had since become a Country outlet. In April of this year, Hoss was promoted to PD for the station. Since we usually bend his ear once a week to discuss music, we took a little extra time with Hoss this week to chat about his career, family life, and thoughts on the format.
1. Hoss, thank you for taking the time out of an increasingly busy schedule to chat with us today! You were named PD at KXKT/Omaha back in April of this year, but you had been serving as MD since 2011. Since the promotion, you have continued handling music, running an on-air shift, and your "regularly scheduled" duties. Can you tell us what exactly has changed about your role at KXKT since the promotion?
There's more paperwork! I'm keeping track of affidavits for shows, for syndicated programming, handling things like that - and I'm more hands-on with those syndicated shows. I'm making sure we have local liners, and I'm in charge of engaging that talent. There's more of me working directly with the talent we have here in the building, too. I'm doing more one-on-one with Steve [Lundy] and Gina [Melton], our morning show team. And, I say one-on-one, but [former KXKT/PD and current iHeartMedia/Omaha SVP/Programming Erik] "EJ" [Johnson] is still crucial and a big part of those meetings. When we meet, it's all four of us for those morning show meetings. It's not just a PD and talent meeting; that was something I previously didn't get involved with as the MD. I'm getting back in to critiquing and going over show clocks to find out what's working and what isn't working.
2. Speaking of your on-air staff, you do have a great, well-established team at KXKT. How do you keep everyone involved and engaged with the station and what is happening as you work to push forward?
I think a lot of it is communicating. We are in the communication business, and it's sad how many times internally, inside the walls of stations, the communication tends to break down. Everyone tends to stay in their own little world. I really try to fight through that and break through those walls. I work to say, "Hey, this is what we're seeing." Or I'll share, "Hey, this is what our monthly trends look like." That way, everyone knows where we are going, where we want to go, and where we have been. I make sure to let everyone know what is coming down the line, too. We work ahead. We have our Children's Hospital here in Omaha, and we do a partnership radiothon with them - which has now expanded to include a local television station. But a lot of that is just communicating back and forth with everyone that is involved. It's so important to keep that open line of communication. And yes, I do bring Gina in to music meetings sometimes. It's great to get another opinion, especially from a female. It's important to make sure the entire team knows what is a priority and what it is we are wanting to do. And having a veteran staff certainly does help - we aren't the rookies. This is not our first big gig, so to speak. Everyone has their own unique assets. Steve has been in the market for years, and he has one of those identifiable voices. When you hear him, you know it's Steve Lundy. Gina has really grown up with the station. She started off as the sidekick, and really just the haha-I'm-the-girl-in-the-room; she has since evolved in to a strong female personality on the radio station. She has shared her personal life on the radio - from getting married to kids. So many moms and dads - so many people - relate to Gina. They've heard her over the years morph from being the fun party girl to the fun party mom! EJ has been in the market and helped create a Top 40 station here in town that is still going strong - and they still use a lot of the same tactics that he implemented. He's another one of those guys who has been in the market and is recognizable. And I think sometimes EJ is a little soft-spoken about how accomplished he really is. But we all bring a unique flavor to the salad.
3. Well, we know that your crew isn't on their first rodeo. But let's discuss something that you and I have often discussed in our weekly "side-bar conversations." What about those guys and gals who are looking to join our little rodeo family? We as a medium seem to be having trouble finding new riders, if we're keeping with this analogy. Where do you think we should be looking for our next generation of great on-air talent? And how do you think we can and should we be coaching up our current on-air talent as they continue to develop?
That's not going to be easy. And I think it's kind of like, in my mind, it's like the American Dream. It's not going to come to you - you have to go get it. We as a radio industry need to go out and find these folks. And maybe it's in some non-traditional ways. A lot of people are getting in to doing podcasts now, and maybe that's an introduction to our world. Maybe we as an industry should be paying attention to the guys and gals getting big hits on these podcasts and on YouTube stars. That's certainly a nice avenue. Are those people going to bring massive amounts of listeners to your station? Ehh, maybe. But, I'd be listening more for the talent; is it there? When they say something, is it entertaining? Is it engaging? Are they speaking with me -- not to me? We have, in Omaha, some great universities in the area. We have University of Nebraska Omaha, Creighton University, and one of the great resources for us is on the Iowa side of the state line. In Council Bluffs is Iowa Western Community College, and they produce some really great people that we have brought in to our building and have moved up. They've started off as Board Ops, and they're hanging out on the weekends manning the boards when someone is out at a car remote. They're the ones helping us dub spots in. That way, when someone else is ready to move up and move on, we immediately turn and look internally first. Is there somebody here that is ready to go and chomping at the bit? We have two Promotions Assistants right now that go out and set up remotes and put banners out and help take care of winners if we need that. They're hungry; they're always asking me, "What can we do?" One of them, just the other day, sat and recorded the liners that we have on our Classic Country KFFF (93.3 The Wolf), just because he wanted some practice. He emailed them to me and asked, "What do you think of these? What can I do differently?" To me, that's awesome that someone is going to take the time - especially on a station that they may not be super familiar with at the time - and they look over it and figure out what they're talking about and review the liner grid to see if they can do them. These aren't on the air. He just wanted feedback. So there are people out there; we just have to give them time to grow.
4. When it comes to coaches and coaching, it takes having been coached to know how to be coached, if you know what I mean. So, who were your early coaches and role models? Who mentored you coming up through the ranks, and is there anyone that you still turn to for advice within the industry?
For me, it started in college. My college advisor, who is now the President of Northwest Missouri State University, was Dr. John Jasinski. We had many, many, many long discussions about our mutual love of radio. He really helped fuel me for that when I was in college, which led to an internship. That internship was at - KXKT! It was a CHR at the time, and I was paired up to be with [then-PD] Brian DeGeus, who I believe is in Salt Lake City now. Brian was battling the heritage CHR in town. At the time, KXKT was the new Top 40, and it was not an easy thing to do. But for him, it was interesting, because when I stepped in on the very first day, he looked at me and said, "You will sit down, and you will not say a word for the next 60 days." Or was it three or four weeks? I can't remember the exact time, but I remember it was several weeks, and it seemed like an eternity. And I said, "Really?!" And he said, "You won't say a word. You will sit there, and you will watch everything I do." And in my mind, I thought, "Well, this isn't going to be a good internship. This will just be a one-way street." But then, he said, "But, in exchange for your silence, I will let you sit in on every meeting I go to." And he did. If it was a meeting with the GM, and it was maybe about how the morning show didn't do something right and the client was complaining, I sat in the room. If it was the Sales Manager, and they were discussing packages, I was in the room. When he was writing production pieces, and even in the production room, I was there. So, he let me observe all of that, and at the end of my probation time, he said, "Now you can speak. I wanted you to see what I do on a day-in and day-out basis. I wanted you to see what a program director really does, because that's something that I don't know you can learn in school." And I didn't! So, whether he was in a meeting with the OM and he was getting reamed out, or if he was going to a concert - he let me be there for all of that. So Brian was big influence and mentor at the time in my life. The morning team on KXKT at that time was Sharpe & Sharpe In The Morning - Jim and Melissa Sharpe. I started producing them and writing some things for them, and Jim Sharp was just an amazing mentor and an encourager. He would be honest when he told me, "Dude, just keep going. I love this, I don't love that, but just keep working at it." He would give me great feedback. I think Jim is down in Phoenix now. Probably, though, the biggest influence and mentor for me, though is, was, and will be Mike Kennedy. I interviewed for a job at KBEQ/Kansas City to do overnights. I didn't get that job. But he offered me, then, a position that he personally had. He had a construction permit to sign on a radio station in Manhattan, Kansas, and he asked if I would go run it - and I did. He took a chance on me after a few meetings, and he has hands-down been not only a mentor, but a great leader, and a great boss. Do we agree on everything? Nope. There were days when I'd question what he was thinking. But, he put a lot of trust in me to help the station. When I did finally move in to Kansas City, I was the Promotion Director and really had to find my way in learning how to do things in a Major Market as far as working with that level of sales people and clients, and even air talent. Getting winner sheets done and liners, and working the record side of things - I was always in amazement at how Mike took the time to listen to everything. Everything! It didn't matter if it came from a major label or a small indie, he wanted to hear it. He was always so excited about new artists, and he - hands-down - is the biggest imprint on me. He even gave me my name! I got the name when I interviewed for that overnight job on Easter weekend. I came in wearing a suit and tie - which is rare in radio. And Mike told me, "Well, I'd really like to hear how you sound. Can you stick around this weekend? I'd like to put you on this Sunday morning." I thought, yeah, sure! And we worked out logistics of what time to be there and how to get in to the building, and I said, "Oh, by the way, is there a certain name you want me to go with?" I knew that at the time, there were some "Froggy" stations and things like that where you had to have a really Country-sounding name. But Mike looked across his desk at all 6'6" of me and said, "There's only one name you really need. And that's Hoss." I just said, "Oh, okay!" All these years later, and I've always meant to ask him - I really think that maybe he had a part-timer who was supposed to be on-air that Easter morning who had told him last minute they wouldn't be there. So, I think maybe he used the interview as an opportunity for me to fill four hours! And I didn't get that gig, but I got the name Hoss, and I got the chance to start that relationship with Mike.
5. And before that meeting with Mike - before you became Hoss - you had been working in CHR and AC. How many years did you spend in those formats? What sparked your interest in Country radio and the format? Did you listen to Country music?
I spent probably four years in CHR and AC/Hot AC. I was all over some small towns that I lived in and worked in - it was a Hot AC world for me then. At that time, Country was just starting to boom in the early 90s. You couldn't really escape it - you'd certainly hear Garth and Clint Black, Alan Jackson and Randy Travis, those guys when you'd go to the bar and hang out. It wasn't a ton of my existence, and it wasn't even really until I interviewed at KBEQ that I really sat down and listened to Country music. I distinctly remember watching CMT to see the Martina McBride video for "My Baby Loves Me." I remember thinking, "Holy cow! She's gorgeous, and that girl can sing!" And I did a little research and found out she was from Kansas - even better! Then it was creeping in to Randy Travis. "Forever And Ever, Amen" was the very first song I ever danced to with my then-girlfriend, now-wife, Renee. That came on the jukebox, and - I don't know how, but - I figured out how to two-step! It must have been the tequila! But that was the very first song we ever danced to together.
6. Now, even working in CHR and Hot AC, you've always been a Midwest guy. Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska - these are the places you've called home. So, as you program KXKT now, you've got a very engrained understanding of the region and the market - so what is it about Omaha that is different and unique that you need to keep top-of-mind when you're programming the station?
Wow, that's a great question. I think most people think of Omaha as everyone driving tractors and working on the combine most of the day. Now, does our signal reach the farm? Absolutely, it does! I get emails and phone calls - yes, I still get phone calls! - all the time from people who are out on the tractor and want to hear songs. But yet, Omaha itself is a lot more city than what people give it credit for. It's very sneaky! I hear it from artists and label partners that come through; they say, "I had no idea! Your downtown is gorgeous!" It certainly helps to have several Fortune 500 companies that are based here, and the College World Series. It's more up-to-date. It's more than corn. But, at the same time, we embrace that country side of things. We are the Omaha city-country station - but I'm not afraid to mention the word combine on the air in my imaging. I feel that's part of who we are in this town. I have no real research to back this up, but my hunch is that most listeners of this radio station is at least one generation away from the farm. Meaning, maybe their parents didn't live on a farm, but odds are, their grandparents did. And I try to remember that every day. Some people cringe thinking of that kind of country life, but I tend not to - mainly because that's part of my family. They live on the farm; they raise cattle, they grow corn, they grow soy beans, they raise pigs. That's what they do, and there's nothing wrong with that! They still listen, and they still get a diary from Nielsen! We get not only the rural listeners and the soccer moms, but there are also a lot of transfer people here in Omaha that have come here for work. People from every part of the country who have migrated here to work on the Air Force base or one of the major corporations. There's always a nice influx of fresh faces here.
7. Well, you've definitely married the Midwest - you've found your home in that region. But you've been back in Nebraska itself now for over a decade. What is it about Omaha that has kept you in place? And would you ever consider another move?
We are coming up on 13 years here next Spring. And to be honest, what kept us here is free babysitting! When I was at KBEQ, Sydney - our oldest daughter - was born. Q104 is just a monster of a radio station, and being the Promotion Director and the Assistant PD, there was just so many things going on. It was seven days a week with shows. There was always something. And I felt like I just wasn't around at home as much after Sydney was born. And I remember the conversation vividly, asking Mike, "If something were to ever come up that is close to home - being in Nebraska - I would like to take a look at it, if you're okay with that. I'd certainly run it by you, because I wouldn't want to do anything behind your back, but I would like to be able to go, with your blessing." And he looked at me and said, "Absolutely. You have served me well. In fact, you're the person that's been able to handle this position longest. So if the right opportunity comes along, you should go." My folks still live in a small town here just outside of Omaha in the same house where I grew up. It's right across from the high school. My brother and his family live here, too. And at the time, Brian Jennings was the PD at KZKX/Lincoln, NE, and he just called me up. We had a mutual friend, and he called me and said, "Hey, we were just talking about you the other day. Would you ever think about heading back this way? I know you're in the big town there in Kansas City, but would you ever consider it?" And I said, "Yeah. I think if it was the right opportunity, I would." And this just happened to be a couple months after I had talked to Mike about wanting to consider it. So, Brian said, "Well, I have this opening. Ritch Cassidy is moving to KXKT in Omaha, so we have an opening." So, I drove up and interviewed. And I took the position and was happy. We then had our second daughter, Samantha. So the first six months that Sammie was around in our world, I commuted. I would live Monday through Friday afternoon in Lincoln, and then Friday afternoon at four o'clock, I would load up and drive back to Kansas City where Renee and the girls were. Then, I'd turn back around on Sunday night and drive back to Lincoln to be ready for work on Monday. That was about a four hour drive, one-way, at that time. But I was thankful that the KZKX staff understood - they got it. We wanted to move, but I couldn't until the house sold. And it took six months to do that. Thankfully, I was there, though, when Samantha took her first steps. Sometimes, we would meet halfway, and sometimes the girls would all come up and see me. But, most often, I would make the drive. Some weeks, I'd wait and get up and four in the morning to make the drive back, just because I wanted that extra night to tuck everyone in. But the goal was to make it home to Kansas City on Friday evening in time to give Samantha her final bottle of the night on a Friday. Every Friday. And we made it work, and we've been here now for almost thirteen years. That doesn't mean I wouldn't leave here - I've moved before - but right now, for my family - for my wife, Renee, who is a saint like none other - it would have to be just an amazing opportunity. To have to tell the girls - Sydney is now a sophomore in high school, and Samantha is now a seventh grader - to uproot their world, for something that I wanted, it would have to be something really spectacular. As you and I have discussed before, sometimes adulting is hard!
8. Since you've been back in Nebraska, so much has changed. Thirteen years has seen a lot of new technology enter the world of radio. What technological advances do you find yourself most excited about and using to make your life easier? And is there anything that has come along that has actually made it harder, or that you wish wouldn't have come along?
I love the ability that, if need be, I can pull up the station on my phone to listen. Through the iHeart app, which I really think is just an amazing piece of technology, I can stream my station anywhere I am. But, not only can I listen to the radio station, there is the technology available that if I need to change something on the radio station, I can do that in an instant with my phone - which is a blessing and a curse at the same time. The ability to dial in and log in is a good thing, but I also think it can be just exhausting. I'm not one of those people who has to continually tweak every single detail. Sometimes, I just like to let it breath. But then, there will be times that I'm in the car, and I may pull up the station on my phone to see what's coming up, and I'll make an adjustment. I'll think that maybe I didn't do such a great job on a music log, so I'll flip a couple of things around. Now, I have not added songs from my phone, but I will occasionally flip-flop things around to make sure that the flow will go a little better! I mean, I remember stacking records and pulling carts. Not only for my shift, but you'd do it for the guy coming in after you - you'd pull their first couple of hours of commercials to make sure they were ready to go. So I think the technology of that aspect of running a piece of software like NextGen, which we use for on-air delivery, is just awesome. It's stable, and helps take away some of the awkward moments of a CD skipping and things like that. That technology has certainly been a blessing.
9. And with that technology comes even more ways to listen to music! So, when you have a song that you're considering for airplay, or even for conversions, what goes in to your thought process and the decision making? You and I talk about music all the time, and you're always very candid about what you do there at the station. Are there particular statistics or metrics that you rely on more heavily to make selections for your station?
No, as far as one set of metrics, or one formula, I don't have an A plus B equals C in order to get there. I will say, when it comes to adding new songs to our playlist, there are only so many slots that we have built in to the clock for music - as much as our label partners probably wish there would be twenty more of those slots, there just aren't! I understand that, and I get that, but the way we've built the station and had success with the station, we feel like we have a pretty good balance with our playlists. So, the new music really, for me - and this is something Mike Kennedy taught me to do - I just trust my gut instinct. If you feel passionate about a song, mention it - say it - play it. See what others think. Here, it's EJ and me who end up making the ultimate decision, but we certainly get opinions from those around us. Maybe it's a song that I'm still kind of thinking, "Mmm, I just don't hear it; I'm not sure I get it." So, we'll get input from Gina from the morning show, or from our new online content director, who is 24 or 25 and just had a baby. She loves Country music, so I like to get her input on new music. And, so when it comes to new music, it's a very gut instinct. When it's a new artist, I also like to look and see what else they may have in the tank. I know that we, as a format, are tilting more toward the song and away from being as much of an artist-driven format. But for me, I'm still a guy that, before I invest in someone, I want to know that there is more than just one song in them. I think of all the artists who have come through our Listener Lounge, or who have come by to play for the staff - like a Runaway June or a Luke Combs. Those are just a couple of artists who have come through in the past couple of months that - before seeing them and hearing what else was in the tank - I just wondered. I wondered if they had more than just one song. I had heard their singles. I can pull it up on All Access and listen to it. I have the CD single somewhere on my desk. And I see whatever statistics our label partners want to share with me. But I'm looking to find out what else there is, and what's in the tank, and what is yet to come. Before I enter that add, I want to know what else they have. I want to know if this is someone I think has the potential to be around for a while. Now, when it comes to conversions, I really leave that up to our listeners. Thankfully, we have local research, and our listeners are passionate about telling us what they think about the music. We have a great response with our Rate 'Em Roadhouse music surveys. We ask our listeners, "Hey, do you like this one? Do you hate it? Is it just so-so for you?" Or maybe they've never even heard it before...or it might be one of their favorites. That is the first and foremost part of our formula when moving a song from a Light up to a Medium category and other conversions. There was an example I wanted to share, because you and I had discussed it at length, and that's with Little Big Town. Their newest song, "Better Man," we really only have just over 30 spins. But, I went ahead and put it in the research, just because I was curious to see, and this week, that is already showing a Top 10 ... almost a Top 5... potential. And for me, I'll be honest, I didn't hear it at first. I didn't get it. But you and I discussed it at length, and you were passionate about it; you did get it. And so the more I really listened to it, I realized, "Man, there's really something there." That's a deep song, you know? So that's a great example of our listeners telling me. And it'll take a few tests - I don't rely on one survey. I want to see a trend on it locally and see what the listeners are thinking as it progresses. And we have access here at iHeart to other research from our sister stations across the country to see what's happening in other markets, so that's certainly a part of the equation, too. But bottom line, I want our listeners to drive this boat; we just happen to be along for the ride. I do look at sales and digital downloads, too. What are people spending their hard-earned money on? To me, that also speaks volumes. And the label partners love to see sales, as well. But for me, I remember putting down my $15 to get a CD. That was big deal to spend that money, and I wanted to make sure there was a lot of great music on that CD. Even though I think I was a member of that Columbia House club...
10. And you always refer to the labels as your label partners - just as you did a moment ago. And I think of everyone I know here in Nashville, they all also know and like you, Hoss. How do you maintain business relationships that turn in to personal friendships and remain professional?
Well, I do send a lot of fat checks down to Music City, if that's what you're asking! Ha! Kidding. I genuinely think it's about being honest. You, for instance, ask me my opinions about songs each week. And I feel that you and I have fun talking about music together, but I also know that the information is needed to help our label partners understand what I'm thinking. I try to return every phone call or email, but that's just not always a realistic possibility. But it just comes down to being honest with them about what's going on and what I'm thinking. And I also try to admit when I'm wrong. I'm not the guy that can pick every hit. I've missed some. But I also don't gloat if I do pick one that maybe someone else overlooked. So, I think it's honesty. But I also have a passion for music. I like all types of music, but I LOVE Country music. I love digging in on All Access and listening to everything in the listening room [All Access Cool New Music page]. Sometimes, I see something and think, "Oh, boy. This is going to be a doozy." But after I listen, maybe I'm pleasantly surprised! I like to sit in my office scheduling music, and I put on an album and listen to it top to bottom. When I do that, I try to shoot a note to that label partner and let them know, "Hey, I listened to the album, and I really like track three and track five." Not because I am trying to interject that those could or should be singles, but because I just want them to know that I heard it. That I took the time to really listen and spend time with the full project. That it mattered to me. And there are times - I'm looking at a stack of CDs right now - that I'll get something and say, "Well, I've never heard of that person before. But let's give it a listen!" It may never make it past my office speakers, but then again, maybe it will.
Bonus Questions
1. As you take a look at that giant stack of CDs, ever-present on your desk, who stands out to you as someone who is ready to break through? Is there someone new on your radar? Or is there someone already getting substantial airplay that you think is ready to take it to the next level and become a bonafide superstar?
This is a softball. A lot of people would claim this one. But, look, Thomas Rhett is ready. He's ready to be our superstar in this format. He's still early in his career, but that guy is on fire! He's certainly well on his way, so maybe that's not even a great answer, because it's almost a given. But I look at guys like Chris Janson - I have seen what that guy does with a crowd, just acoustically, and that guy just blows me away. He has passion for his music and letting people hear it, and he has fun with it. And, can we talk about LoCash? I just really think those guys - for us, here, they've been around for years! We've played them on the air in real dayparts for a long, long time. It's not just that they were guys who happened to stop by the radio station as they were passing through on their way to a show in Chicago. We played them. And I could not be happier for two dudes who have hung in there. They've kept their heads down and kept working, and it's paying off. I see it happening for them.
2. Earlier, we discussed your family a bit - your wife, Renee, and your two daughters, Syd and Sam. One thing I know about you is that you spend just as much time, if not more, on their activities than on your own career and activities. So, how do you balance it all, when you're working and dealing with two teenagers' schedules, and serving on church boards, and everything else?
I have a wonderful life partner in my wife, Renee. Renee and I were married in 1995. We dated for five or six years before that, and I remember distinctly getting that look from her dad of, "Seriously, dude? What's going on here? What's the hold up?" But I did not want to marry Renee until I got to a place in my radio career where I knew I would be at a station for more than a few months. I thought that was only fair to her, and I was very up-front about that and told her that. I didn't want to uproot her and her career and goals just so I could go play radio. I wanted to be able to find a place that I knew I'd be for a while. And for me, that was when Mike Kennedy hired me as GM and PD in Manhattan, Kansas. I knew I would be there for a while. So, most of it is thanks to her, because she allows me to play radio, and have fun, and go to concerts. She would love to go to some of those, too, I know. But at the same time, her passion is our girls - and not that it isn't mine, too. She just knows that I lead a double life, and she is very acutely and keenly aware of when she should call me Hoss and when she should call me by my real name! Ha! Secondly, EJ - that's one of the many things that attracted me to coming to work at KXKT. His belief that family is first. The stuff that we do at work is awesome, and it can be a lot of fun! It can be also be a pain in the ass, though. It's a paycheck; it's all of those things, and it's a lot more than that. But first and foremost, if I need to do something for my family, I know that I can go to EJ and say, "Here's what is happening." And he's always allowed me to take care of those priorities. And, going back to our earlier talk, technology has also helped with that. If I need to record something and get out so I can go see my daughters at a softball tournament, I can do that. So, I think it's really all between Renee and Erik, to their credit, that I get to do what I do. And what keeps me going is the power of "Yet!" Meaning, I don't know everything that is coming down the road, but I try to look at it like I just don't know..."Yet!" Yet is a strong word in just three letters; it gives me hope and determination.
3. Well, as we wrap up, I think we have one more topic we need to discuss. I don't think it's any secret that you and I are actually besties, as the kids say. And we are currently planning our first ever CRS "Queso And Karaoke" party for this coming year! So, in a dream scenario, if you could have a lineup of five artists to come be on stage with us at "Queso And Karaoke 2017," who do you really want there with us to celebrate, sing, and eat melted cheese?
This is tough! Now, I know your lineup, right? For you, you're obviously calling in Garth. No-brainer. You've got Brett Eldredge, Thomas Rhett, Maren Morris, and Brothers Osborne, too, right? Or Eric Church? Those are yours, so I don't want to step on lines here. Let's not have a turf war over songs and cheese. So, besides your list, my list...wow, this is hard to pick just a few! Okay, first you know I have to have Chris Young there. That's really the whole reason we started this. I have to have Chris Young there, and the party is just my excuse to hang out with Chris Young. Now, does a group count as one artist? If so, my second is Little Big Town. Those guys would be so much fun! I saw them on your boyfriend, Jimmy Fallon's show, and they're just so much fun! Plus, with Little Big Town, you get Karen Fairchild - HI KAREN! Next, I'm calling in Ronnie Dunn. Ronnie can party, I just know he can. And that voice! Yeah, calling Ronnie Dunn up for the third slot. And we can't have a party without Blake Shelton. And finally, I think my fifth slot will go to Cassadee Pope, even though I think maybe she's Team Guacamole instead of Team Queso. Wait, can we have Jake Owen and Brett Young, too? This is hard...but I think that's my selection list. Now, we just have to get them all out to "Queso And Karaoke 2017." We can make that happen, right...?
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