August 14, 2009
An open letter to all Small, Medium and Large Market Broadcasters “Still in the Trenches”
Rusty Walker
President
Rusty Walker Programming

Of all the fond memories I’ve garnered over my long (and somewhat checkered) career in Country Radio, some of the fondest come from the first three times I attended CRS (the Country Radio Seminar). The years were 1978, 1979, and 1980. I was Program Director and Morning Man at WQIK (earning the princely sum of about $13,000 a year) in Jacksonville, Florida. I paid my own way, taking vacation days, and driving (uphill, both ways, barefoot, and in the snow), the 12 hours from Jacksonville, and the 12 hours back, in a “really cool” 1978 Pinto. My wife Teresa came to Nashville (she had relatives in town) with me. In 1980, she was eight months pregnant (talk about the consumate radio wife) with our first child.

Those three years I spent most of my CRS time “shadowing” (can you spell S-T-A-L-K-I-N-G?) my radio heroes. They were John Chaffee, during his tenure at WHK in Cleveland, Ed Salamon, then P.D. at WHN in New York, plus Greg Linhdall (I also “shadowed” Greg later while he was P.D. at “Nashville 95, WSM-FM) and Dan Halyburton, when they were at WDGY in Minneapolis. My M.O. (modus operandi) was to stay about 20 paces behind them during seminar hours, and listen intently to whatever they said, to whomever they might be saying it. I kept my mouth shut, because I didn’t want them to know I was “sucking the very GENIUS from their beings”. I also would have “shadowed” (STALKED) Bob Pittman, then P.D. at WMAQ in Chicago, but I could never find him on the seminar floor. BTW, in those days, the CRS was held at the “old” Airport Hilton, and they had to erect tents for the lunches. In the 70’s, Nashville was just as cold in February/March as it is now.

I also attended every seminar and panel that didn’t have anything to do with labels, adds, or playlists (I had my own ideas about those things, and remember, I was shadowing some pretty innovative guys for the time). I paid particular attention to those events and panels that spoke to sales, promotion, and management (then, and still now, my “weak spots” of expertise).

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In a nutshell, here’s my advice. Do whatever it takes to attend the Country Radio Seminar EVERY YEAR! It always has been, still is, and always will be the best working and learning seminar in the history of American Broadcasting. I’ve attended (and spoken, often poorly, at) them all. If at all possible, don’t “germ” the labels for your trip. If you plan effectively, and sacrifice (invest) enough, you can do it on your own, no matter how destitute (can you spell I-N-V-E-S-T-M-E-N-T?) you are. I honestly believe (and those of you who know me, know that’s my way of saying “I Promise”), that without the CRS, I would not be where I am (either good or bad) today. Finally, to quote the wisdom and wit of the inimitable late-great Jerry Clower; “The Good Lord has blessed me with above average means!” A great measure of that I owe to the C.R.B., presenters of the Country Radio Seminar.

Sincerely,
Rusty Walker, C.R.P.

P.S.; If after reading my letter, you still don’t get the moral or the message, just give me at “holler” at (662) 427-9504, and I’ll translate it into “2010-speak” (I’ll be “Fresh and Phat with the 411”) for you.