Rusty Walker Scholarships Announced

12-3-2012

The three inaugural Rusty Walker Scholarship winners are: Jeff Harju (GM, WHKB/Houghton, MI), Cynthia Hayward (Air Personality/MD/Asst. PD, KMOK-FM/Lewiston, ID), and Courtney Smith (Promotions Director, WOLF/Syracuse, NY). The winners will receive an expenses-paid trip and complimentary registration to the Country Radio Seminar in Nashville in February.

CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne said, ?The Rusty Walker Scholarship program stands not only to honor the legacy of one of the Country radio community?s most respected and influential members, but also to extend a helping hand to those coming up through the ranks. What better way to pay tribute to Rusty, who helped so many people throughout his long and prolific career? We are proud and excited to welcome Jeff, Cynthia, and Courtney to their first CRS!?

The Rusty Walker Scholarship program was created in 2012 to honor Country Radio Hall of Fame member Rusty Walker, who passed away in May 2012. Each scholarship provides one full CRS 2013 registration, one ticket to the Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner, and covers airfare and hotel room expenses for four nights in Nashville.  Scholars will be recognized at the CRS 2013 opening ceremonies and will have the opportunity to meet and interact with CRS board members during the three-day event. All scholarship applications were reviewed by a CRS selection committee.

CRS 2013 will be held Feb. 27-March 1, 2013, at the Nashville Convention Center in downtown Nashville, Tenn.

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Rusty Walker Funeral This Saturday

5-21-2012

Here are the details for the Rusty Walker funeral. Walker died Monday after suffering a heart attack over the weekend. Visitation will be 4-8 p.m., Friday, at Mt. Evergreen United Methodist Church (253 County Road 244, Iuka, MS). The Funeral will be held Saturday at 1 p.m., at the Tishomingo County High School Gymnasium (701 Highway 72, Iuka, MS). The body will lie in state at the gymnasium from 11 a.m. until service time on Saturday.

Read Rusty's obituary HERE

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Rusty Walker Dies at the Age of 59.

Scott Huskey, Vice-President/Consulting Services at Rusty Walker Programming has just confirmed that the family is once again dealing with tragedy. Rusty Walker died today after suffering a heart attack Saturday morning while riding his bike with friends. Walker is one of the radio industry's top consultants and a friend to so many people. Walker had to deal with tragedy earlier this year when his 18 year old daughter passed away.

Jaye Albright comments on the passing of a friend. "As someone who had actually been consulting for at least a decade longer than Rusty, thanks to an opening at Drake-Chenault in Los Angeles where I learned what Bill Drake, Jim Kefford and Denny Atkins considered the right way to work with radio stations, I had a front row seat to Rusty's start, first as a winning and creative Program Director and then as a consultant. He reinvented the business and took the art of working with country radio to a level no one had ever done before. The proof is in the success and sound of his radio stations, of course, but it's also in the depth of the relationships he forged. His knowledge and spirit were infused in everything he did. I loved him and his family, respected his abilities and as someone who probably competed with him directly in more markets than anyone over a 25 year period, I have to say that there is a big hole in my heart today and in country music radio. He lived his life in so many ways that have made him a role model for hundred and hundreds of people. His legacy, of course, lives on in all of us. He coped with the loss of two of his children in such a loving, courageous way. He not only taught us how to program, to win in the ratings, to build what became the largest country consulting business in the history of our format, but in the end, he taught us all how to live."

"In Heaven today, I am sure that Rusty Walker is regaling the Angels with his endless supply of wonderful tales of radio wars.""I knew Rusty well ... McVay Media competed against Rusty, and we served together on the Country Radio Broadcasters board of directors, as well as  were professional friends. He was the type of person that you wanted to compete against because he was fair, very good and raised everyone's game.  His family has suffered much tragedy with the loss of a son  a few years ago, then his daughter most recently and now Rusty himself."Michael A. McVay
Senior Vice-President
Corporate/Programming
Cumulus Media

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Bev Brannigan & Rusty Walker Top Hall Inductee List

Beverlee Brannigan, Moby, Ron Rogers, Eddie Stubbs, Rusty Walker and Bill Whyte are the 2012 Country Radio Hall of Fame inductees. Brannigan, Rogers and Walker are the 2012 Radio category inductees, and Moby, Stubbs and  Whyte are the On-Air category inductees.  The class of 2012 will be inducted at a dinner ceremony Tuesday, Feb. 21, 2012, at the Nashville Convention Center. The Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony unofficially kicks off Country Radio Seminar each year. 

Brannigan?s career began at the college radio station at Northwestern University.  She joined WOKQ as an air personality, and in 1979 became the Program Director/personality for KJJY, where she enjoyed tremendous success for the next 20 years.  Brannigan also programmed stations KRUU, KHKI and KMXM.  Since 2003, she has served as Operations Manager for six stations in Wichita and Program Director for three, including market leader KFDI, which won CMA Station of the Year in 2003.  Brannigan is widely considered by the industry to be a trailblazer for women in Country Radio programming.

Walker has either programmed, advised, created, consulted, overseen, served as a strategic partner or performed as an air personality for more than 750 Country radio stations since he started his radio career in 1970.  In total, there are fewer Country stations in rated markets that Walker hasn?t worked with than those he has.  A few of his personality and Program Director stints include: WQYK, WQIK, WZZK and KFKF.  He has been recognized with numerous national industry and community awards, including a seven-year consecutive run as Billboard?s Consultant of the Year.  His program consulting firm, Rusty Walker Programming, remains one of the industry?s most influential.

Rogers began his broadcasting career at KTBC AM-FM-TV while a student at the University of Texas.  His lengthy career spans the entire spectrum of the radio business.  He has held positions as Program Director at WACO, Sales Manager at KNOW, General Manager at KOKE, and President/Co-Owner at KLAW, KVET and KASE.  He has served on numerous industry and community boards and is the recipient of several broadcasting and community awards.  He was inducted into the Texas Radio Hall of Fame in 2004.

Moby ? Moby is a 40-year veteran air personality whose career began at the age of 15 in his hometown of Crossville, Tenn.  For 10 years, he was a major force in the Rock format every morning in Houston and Dallas (KSSR, KLOL, KEGL).  Moby then moved to Atlanta and WKHX, where he proceeded to win a major morning battle in the Country format and enjoy success for the next decade.  Moby is the recipient of numerous national Air Personality awards, including winning Billboard's Major Market Country Morning Show of the Year five times.  He formed his own syndication company in 2004 and continues today to be heard on Country stations around the nation.

Stubbs has been the longest tenured evening host on Nashville?s legendary 650AM WSM since the station went to an all Country format in 1979.  He is recognized nationally as the announcer of the Grand Ole Opry, a position he has held for more than 16 years.  He also serves as the on camera announcer for the Marty Stuart Show on RFD-TV and serves on the CMA and IBMA committees.  He won the CMA Large Market Broadcast Personality of the Year award in 2002.  Stubbs is well respected among his peers for his vast knowledge of the history of Country music.

Whyte started his career as a teenager on KCPR, ?Kow Pasture Country Radio,? in Missouri.  His career spans successes at WUBE, WMIL, WSM-FM and WFMS.  He has won multiple national Air Personality awards, hosted syndicated shows, and is also a singer songwriter. He has won numerous broadcast awards including the CMA Award for Best Large Market Personality.  He's been nominated for a CMA Award twice and won an AIR Award for best new Morning Show in Nashville.

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Univision Local Media President Peter Walker Out.

Walker's last day will be this Friday. He's been at his job for less than one year and recently promoted Jose Valle to replace Gary Stone who retired. Walker served as interim COO after Gary Stone announced his retirement. Valle is in charge of the Univision radio stable of 70 stations. Univision says Walker "decided to leave to pursue opportunities in Chicago.

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