TEN THINGS I LEARNED AT CRS 2011

If you are in the Country Music industry, last week was a pretty big deal. The Country Radio Seminar was held in Nashville at the Nashville Convention Center. Over 2,000 industry professionals converged upon downtown to mix and mingle with the stars, and take advantage of some very informational seminars that deal with all facets of radio. During quite a bit of the week, I was in the CRS Media Room for the most part, doing a record (for me) 62 interviews during the week.....but just like the groundhog, I did stick my head outside a little.....Here are ten things I came away with from CRS WEEK....

1. I know that the scheduling of CRS is usually set years in advance, but with the SEC Tournament taking place at the same time, did it seem to anyone that the parking prices were a little much? Granted, most stayed in hotels, but if you were paying to park....that was about $100 for the week...right there.

2. There was a lot of great musical talent at CRS this year, but three names to watch out for include Lucy Angel, Due West, and Eric Lee Beddingfield. Each of these acts possesses the coveted "it" factor.

3. It's a known fact, but Ronnie Dunn can outsing most anyone in the business....Not bad for a "new act."

4. I always wondered what it would feel like to be atop the Sheraton's spinning Pinnacle Restaurant....which used to be the Hyatt Regency....and it was cool finding out!

5. You get older and your appetite changes. I ate more salads at CRS this year than just about anything else....except for the night of Eric Lee Beddingfield's showcase, where his promotion team took a few radio / records people out to the luxurious Arby's of West End......You had to be there....Drive-through service and all!

6. Of all of the people in the industry that I have been blessed to meet, the one I that I have yet to is former Sony chief Joe Galante. I wrote him a letter when I was a ninth-grade General Business student when we were assigned to write a letter to someone whose job we wanted to have when we grew up.....I've interviewed him on the phone a few times, but have always gotten a little intimidated when I had a chance to meet him, and chickened out....One day, I will.

7. It's often said that the people who are the real big shots in the business are the ones that you could never tell by their attitude. That being said, people like Larry Daniels, Mike Borchetta, and his wife Martha shine a little brighter than most!

8. Good things happen to good people....who do good things,like the Grascals' Jamie Johnson, who has written one of the best songs out there right now with "I Am Strong."

9. I'm going to take some shots for this opinion, but....Aren't you tired of songs that proclaim how "Country" one is? Several of the performers at CRS filled their stage show with them. Time for some new ideas.....

10. After 62 interviews (and only asking once the crutch question "Where are you from?") one tends to long for a never-ending Pepsi Maz machine to be my constant friend....that, and a plate of Jack's BBQ Ribs. As Grandpa Jones would say, Yum! Yum!