The Country Music Media Podcast

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: ACM CEO Damon Whiteside joins Billy Dukes for a wide-ranging conversation about the 2021 Awards (April 18 on CBS) and the future of awards shows. Are these pandemic changes permanent? Did CBS hesitate on booking Mickey Guyton as host? Is Carrie Underwood mad about her snub? 

1:45 | The hard part about the 2021 ACM Awards
5:00 | Why Mickey Guyton and was CBS hard to convince?
9:00 | What will hosting look like this year?
10:45 | Why is diversity important at the ACM Awards?
15:45 | What will the audience look like?
19:00 | Are any of these changes permanent?
23:00 | Digesting fan furor and if snubbed artists, snub back.
28:00 | Does he find out who took second place?
28:40 | Is there bad blood between Carrie Underwood and the ACM Awards?
31:00 | How the ACM Awards are planning for a streaming-dominant future. 
33:00 | What's the 2021 ACM Awards alcohol policy?

More: The official ACM Awards website

Read: 2021 ACM Nominations at Billboard

Tweet: Billy Dukes on Twitter

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Billy Dukes explores the lengths Eric Church went to in planning his new Gather Again Tour. Do you feel it’s safe enough to attend large-venue country concerts?

Also, Billy looks at which songs from Heart & Soul might sound good in a set list. 

Watch: Blake Shelton talks about his exit strategy on The Voice, with Today with Hoda & Jenna  

Read: Saving Country Music’s news about Loretta Lynn pulling Van Lear Rose

Listen: Alan Jackson’s new song “Where Have You Gone” on YouTube

Read: Eric Church Tour Dates at his official website  

Read: Eric Church’s Interview with Taste of Country Nights

Read: Eric Church’s Interview with Billboard

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Fewer media outlets — and far fewer country music media outlets — are building Worst Dressed lists using red carpet pictures from an awards show. With the 2021 ACM Awards coming up, we bring back photographer John Shearer's thoughts on his photos being used for Worst Dressed lists. Plus, what the red carpet actually sounds like.

Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes

Here's John Shearer's Official Website.

You should follow John on Instagram. 

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: The Boot's Angela Stefano reveals her ballot (8:00) for the 2021 ACM Awards. Billy also shares who he'd vote for if he were a voting member. Then (30:00) should fans be allowed to vote again and (32:30) what category should be added.

Tweet: Find Angela Stefano on Twitter
Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter
Read: Frank Sinatra Has a Cold at Esquire

Read: 2021 ACM Awards Nominations at the Boot

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Billy Dukes reflects on the death of a great country and bluegrass ambassador and theorizes what might happen to the historic building he watched over. Morgan Wallen's first show back is on the calendar and some people are upset about it. But that anger is misguided. Then (8:00) we look at Country Music Media "Ls." Email or tweet examples of embarrassing mistakes in journalism. We can all learn from them.

Read: Frank Sinatra Has a Cold at Esquire 

Read: “Morgan Wallen to Headline Bud Light Sponsored Kicker Country Stampede” at Consequence of Sound

Read: “George Segal, ‘The Goldbergs’ Star, Dead at 87” at PopCulture

Read: Ree Drummond Reveals That Husband Ladd Broke His Neck In Two Places at Taste of Country

Watch: Carly Pearce Sings “Dear Miss Loretta” at the Grand Ole Opry 

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Jaren Johnston from the ACM Vocal Group of the Year nominated band the Cadillac Three joins with no filter to share secrets of the songwriter's room, how and why his band is huge in the U.K. and what the media does wrong consistently during interviews.

5:20 | Do artists prepare for interviews?
9:48 | It's hard out there for a country band.
13:00 | Which artists were hit hardest by the pandemic?
14:15 | Has the pandemic changed the sound of country music?
16:50 | Do lazy songwriters still get paid?
19:00 | What if TC3 had remained a rock band?
21:00 | What does the media get wrong?
27:30 | What does TC3 owe their success in the U.K. too?
31:00 | The song that keeps cashing checks for him.

Tweet: Jaren Johnston on Twitter
Tweet: The Cadillac Three on Twitter
Tweet: Billy Dukes on Twitter

Are you a huge Eric Church fan and you work in media? Hit me up. I'm working on a special episode of the CMMP for April. 

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: What we can learn about race and gender equality in country music from sports, particularly the NFL. Black quarterbacks started to become the norm after one thing changed, and country singers can do it too.

Read: Country Music Is Changing, In Spite of Itself on Pitchfork (the part about Nate Barnes has been removed)

Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter @billydukes 

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Dr. Jada Watson joins Billy Dukes to talk about about equality in country music and to discuss her new report: Redlining In Country Music. But first ...

The 2021 Grammy Awards featured some serious country talent but it wasn’t a full list of artists we’re used to hearing on the radio. Miranda Lambert was there and so was Maren Morris and sure, those two have had great years in mainstream country music and are anchors our format. But Brandi Carlile? Mickey Guyton? No men? Clutch your pearls!

Read: Redlining In Country Music, Dr. Watson's immersive new study.

Read: Jada recommends, The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee

Tweet: Find Jada Watson on Twitter at @data_jada

Tweet: Find Billy Dukes on Twitter at @billydukes

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Billboard revealed that most Grammy Awards categories — including all of the country categories — aren't decided by voters.  Say what? The 2021 Grammy Awards are on Sunday March 14 but this information will shape how you look at all awards shows moving forward.

Also (14:30) Billy gives his predictions for the country categories at the Grammys. 

Read: Who Picks the Grammy Nominees in Billboard

Read: 12 Grammy Rules That Will Surprise You in Billboard

This week on the Country Music Media Podcast: Baylen Leonard from Holler Country joins Billy Dukes to talk about country music's next great frontier: the U.K. and Europe. Holler Country is based in London, England but focused on American country music. The market is long overdue for this approach and it could have a significant impact on the genre in America too.

3:55 | What is Holler Country
9:45 | If Holler Country had a station truck, which artists would be on the wrap?
12:40 | Can a country artist have a lucrative career in England and Europe?
17:20 | The grit and glory of Holler Country
27:40 | Explaining Bro Country to the British Audience

Tweet: Holler Country on Twitter
Tweet: Baylen Leonard on Twitter
Read: Holler Country
Tweet: Billy Dukes on Twitter