Earlier this week I brought up yet another reason why regular radio sucks, the demise of Los Angeles' only country music station, KZLA-FM. Well now XM Satellite Radio is stepping up to the plate as the presenting sponsor of Country Bash 2006 - LA's largest country music festival.
KZLA abruptly dumped its country music format less than a week ago, leaving LA with absolutely no local country radio station of its own. Los Angeles often ranks in the top two cities for country music sales.
For the past eight years, KZLA has hosted Country Bash, which is an annual country festival spotlighting the top country music artists of the day. But with KZLA’s surprise shift from country to pop, this year’s event was put in jeopardy. So it's good news to hear that XM is taking hold of the reigns as a sponsor of Country Bash '06.
Tickets for Country Bash ’06 will be available beginning Saturday, August 26th at 10am. “Country Bash ’06,” is scheduled to feature such country music stars like Gretchen Wilson, Phil Vassar and SHeDAISY. The event will be held October 14 at the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater in Irvine, Calif.
I'm so glad XM stepped up to the plate. I was effected by the lack of a country music station in LA and there is NOTHING on the radio that's not rap/rock/top40...all to appeal to minorities.
It's all in this article here:
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/la-fi-radio20aug20,0,5923744.story?coll=la-home-entertainment
Kind of sad that radio has come to this. I don't mind paying for Satellite because luckily I can afford it, but free radio should still be around and "good" for the masses.
I predict a sudden surge in XM subs out of the LA area... good marketing move on XM's part.
On another note, Philly just lost its only Jazz station this week. Someone from XM or Sirius should start buying billboard space ASAP.
I asked a guy who was listening to Country in L.A. what station he's going to listen to now that there's no country. His reponse? 95.1 fm KFROG. Obviously L.A. isn't too much country-less.