Blair Garner To Mornings On WKDF; 18 More Cumulus Country Stations To Follow

Debuts In 19 Markets On Monday

CUMULUS Country WKDF (103.3 NASH FM)/NASHVILLE will begin airing the company’s BLAIR GARNER-hosted “AMERICA’s MORNING SHOW” effective MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10th.

GARNER’s NASHVILLE-based show is currently heard on CUMULUS Country sister WNSH (NASH FM)/NEW YORK, where it will remain.

EVP/co-COO JOHN DICKEY tells ALL ACCESS that GARNER’s expansion to ‘KDF is part of a larger plan, explaining, “Yes we are beginning to syndicate NASH’s ‘AMERICA’s MORNING SHOW’ (AMS) starting THIS MONDAY (2/10).  It’s very exciting. BLAIR will be initially rolling out on 19 stations.  With NEW YORK that will make 20.  Initially BLAIR will only be heard on our platform (CUMULUS O&Os).  We will begin to roll AMS out to other markets and stations sometime in Q2.”

Although a full list of CUMULUS stations airing GARNER will be announced soon, ALL ACCESS has learned these additional stations will join 'KDF in launching 'AMERICA's MORNING SHOW' on MONDAY (2/10): WTNR/GRAND RAPIDS, WIWF/CHARLESTON, SC, WHKR/MELBOURNE, FL, WLXX/LEXINGTON, KY and WXBM/PENSACOLA, FL.

Current WKDF morning co-host BECCA WALLS was joined by GARNER THIS MORNING (2/5) to announce the transition. WALLS will segue to middays, returning to the daypart she previously hosted before her SEPTEMBER move to wakeups (NET NEWS 9/3). Current midday host DARLAS RAI will move to evenings on Country clustermate WSM-FM, which has been jockless at night.

TODAY’s announcement follows MONDAY’s re-launch of WKDF to the company’s NASH brand, along with 10 other CUMULUS Country stations (NET NEWS 2/3).

The addition of GARNER on ‘KDF will also sync up with the most recent addition to the NASH family, “NASH NIGHTS LIVE,” the 7-Midnight show hosted by SHAWN PARR that will eventually be cleared by all 84 CUMULUS stations. PARR made his debut on WKDF last month.

GARNER segued from hosting PREMIERE’s “AFTER MIDNITE” to mornings on WNSH last JUNE (NET NEWS 6/10).

Current WKDF morning co-hosts MARTY MCFLY and STEWART JAMES will remain with CUMULUS, according to the station's FACEBOOK page. A post this morning (2/5) read: “STEW will be working with AMERICA’s MORNING SHOW and helping out behind the scenes, and MARTY will be working on some independent projects he's always wanted to do, plus, he has a new job that he can't talk about now, but he will let you know about soon. Thank you for listening to “NASHVILLE MORNINGS,” thank you for your support and concern and we hope you will check out “AMERICA's MORNING SHOW” beginning MONDAY [FEBRUARY 10^th],  here on The NASH FM 103-3.”

Listen to WKDF here.

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