Best Country Today

Best Country Today

Type	Radio network
Country	United States
Availability	National; also distributed in Canada, Europe, Armed Forces Radio
Founded	by John Tyler
Owner	Cumulus Media Networks (through Cumulus Media)
Key people	Gary Reynolds, Alan Keith, Carl Anderson, Mark Edwards (retired), Dave Nicholson (retired)
Launch date	1985
Official website	www.bestcountrytoday.com

Best Country Today (formerly known as Country Coast-to-Coast, The Best Country Around and Today's Best Country) is one of the 24 hour live formats produced by Cumulus Media Networks. It is designed to appeal to a wide range of listeners, concentrating on a younger audience than would generally listen to traditional Country stations. It is one of two country formats produced by Cumulus, the other being Real Country, which skews toward older listeners.

Some of the featured artists are Kenny Chesney, Faith Hill, George Strait, The Wreckers and other contemporary Country music artists.

History

Beginning as one of the original Satellite Music Network formats over 20 years ago, it's studios and offices were located in Mokena, Illinois, just outside of Chicago. Shortly after SMN was purchased by ABC/Capital Cities in 1990, the format was moved to Dallas, Texas, along with the other SMN formats such as The Touch, Timeless Classics, The Classic Rock Experience, Oldies Radio, Hits & Favorites, Real Country, and Today's Best Hits had previously been established at the Dallas location. In its over 20 year history, Today's Best Country/Country Coast-To-Coast has had three Operations Managers, Mark Edwards, Dave Nicholson and Gary Reynolds.

Citadel Broadcasting purchased ABC Radio Networks (now Cumulus Media Networks) and the ABC Owned and Operated radio stations from The Walt Disney Company in February, 2006 and continue to use the ABC name for several years afterward. The Citadel acquisition does not include Radio Disney or the ESPN radio stations. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.^[1]

Programming

Hosts currently heard on Best Country Today include Charlie Derek, the mononymous Darcy, Cadillac Jack, Jeremy Robinson, and Chaz Mixon. American Country Countdown is distributed on the network on weekends. Robinson's show is also syndicated outside the network as an evening show.

Alumni

• Jim Beedle
• Mark Edwards
• Doug Thompson
• Jim Brady [1]
• Hubcap Carter (deceased) [2]
• Ted Clark
• Kurt Schaeffer
• Bob Forester
• Michael Hardeman [3]
• Ed Leal
• Bill Lee
• Dave Marcum (deceased) [4]
• Catfish Prewitt [5]
• Steve Sharp
• Joe Soto [6]
• Jerry Walker
• Jim Weaver [7]
• Becky Wight
• Randy Williams
• Jim Casey

References

• http://abcradionetworks.com/show?id=105
• http://eclecticmax.blogspot.com/
• John Tyler, Texas Radio Hall of Fame
• http://www.ABCRadioStaff.com

1. ^ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/09/16/cumulus-now-owns-citadel-broadcasting.html. Retrieved September 16, 2011. 

External links

• Best Country Today