Connecticut country fans were not deterred by a cold night to join us for an amazing evening of music, fun and fundraising for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at Cadillac Ranch in Southington.
Academics and journalists have repeatedly raised the alarm that mainstream country radio is discriminatory towards women, LGBT artists, POC artists and quality songs that sound country.
Damon & Amanda Jo
iHeartMedia Hartford’s Country 92-5 (WWYZ) is pleased to announce Amanda Jo will join Damon Scott as morning host starting August 15. Currently she hosts middays on the station; Amanda has been with iHeartMedia since 2014 in various regional roles such as APD/MD at 101.7 The Bull (WBWL Lynn/Boston), afternoon host at KIX (100.9 WRNX Amherst/Springfield MA), as well as Country 92-5 – her flagship country radio brand!
Amanda Jo is a graduate of Westfield State College in Massachusetts and an avid outdoor adventurer. She enjoys running, hiking and kayaking in Hampshire County with Roxy her dog – in addition to being on air! Amanda works for iHeartMedia events producer creating engaging content with some of the biggest country music stars – while still continuing her roles as APD/MD at 101.7 The Bull/KIX in Massachusetts as well as her morning show at WWYZ in Wisconsin.
She and Damon will cover all the latest in country music news as well as interview some of its most iconic musicians. Plus, they’ll play your favorite hits and introduce you to new artists!
Amanda Jo can often be found hosting live events throughout the region during the week – festivals, concert venues and schools! Amanda Jo is passionate about supporting local charities that assist children and veterans. She’s participated in four half marathons of Boston Marathon. Additionally, Amanda Jo is an avid Patriots fan who loves spending time with family in Lowcountry.
Brian Hunter is the Program Director of 92.5 Kickin’ Country and hosts its lighthearted afternoon drive show “Hunter & Cush.” Additionally, he’s half of popular duo Hunter & Jessica, an iHeartRadio Country All-Star and graduate of 2020 Country Radio Seminar. In his free time he enjoys disc golfing and baseball; currently living in Hanahan with his wife and their beloved pup Sawyer!
Andie Summers
Andie Summers is an award-winning Country music host for 92.5 XTU Philadelphia, serving both as morning show host as well as producing its daily podcast and contributing to various country specials. A member of XTU since 1999, Andie was twice honored with CMA Major Market Personality of the Year awards.
At an early age, she discovered her passion for country music while listening to her older sisters play records on their turntable in their basement. Now a mother herself with two children of her own, her greatest pleasure in life lies in spending time with them and volunteering at various animal organizations nearby.
She graduated with honors from Bloomsburg University in 1996 and has over 25 years of radio experience, having worked at Froggy 101 in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, WGAL in Allentown and WCBS Pittsburgh before joining XTU’s team. Along her career journey she has won multiple awards such as Country Music Association Major Market Personality of the Year as well as Gracie Awards.
Andy was an incredible husband and father who took great pride in raising his four children to maturity. His loss will be felt deeply by many in Pennsylvania where he resided for many years.
Andy Summers first picked up a guitar at age 13 and has delighted music lovers ever since with his extraordinary talent. Alongside groundbreaking work with The Police, he is an esteemed solo artist as well as writer, photographer, composer and producer. His recordings stand out with their distinctive guitar playing and timeless yet contemporary melodic styles. Andy’s photography mirrors the artistic principles that distinguish his music: his images feature strong contrasts, often with rhythmic qualities and depict scenes which seem detached from daily life and time. Andy first found success as an artist with Zoot Money’s Big Roll Band during the late 60s; thereafter he played in British acid rock bands such as Soft Machine and Dantalian’s Chariot before joining The Police full time in 1970.
Donnie & Shannon
Donnie Simpson is a longtime music enthusiast, radio personality and producer from Washington DC. His musical influences range from Go-Go music, rock ‘n’ roll, R&B blue-eyed soul dance and funk. Additionally he collects vintage rock n roll/oldies music as well as jazz/blues enthusiasts.
Donnie made his breakthrough during the late 1960s with a Curtis Mayfield cover called Gypsy Woman that charted nationally and became his signature song at Bigtop Records. However, things quickly turned sour afterward, forcing him out of studio; though he continued writing songs for Bigtop until it closed its doors for good.
One of these, a cover version of Bobby Bland’s Walk Away, became a minor hit in England. But when Irving Micahnik, Del Shannon’s manager in America, brought back to try it again for release in America, it flopped spectacularly.
Micahnik began to lose faith in Shannon as his star began to fail to shine as expected, encouraging him to relocate with his wife Shirley and son Craig out west where Tommy Boyce and the Playboys would offer heavy promotion and distribution of his records. Shannon accepted this job offer.
So he organized another session at Bell Sound with Harry Balk and four self-penned songs, inviting Max Crook to write some instrumentals for this session – ultimately producing three hits: Nothin’, Jody and Torture. Due to the cold winter temperatures in California at that time, when their car heater broke down on their journey there they wrapped blankets around themselves for warmth in the back seat.
After his session at Bell Sound, Shannon performed some jazz tunes at Spectra Sound with a group known as The Shadows. Their renditions of This Feeling Called Love and It’s Funny were classic Frank Sinatra-like numbers which became regional hits across Canada; Sister Isabelle/Colorado Rain proved just as successful on Canadian charts.
Station News
Station News is an American radio news and information program produced locally by local broadcasters for their own stations, either owned by one company or operating under a local marketing agreement (LMA). Although music, sound effects, and other components may differ between stations in one market, usually this format shares one jingle set across stations within that market. First popularized during presidential campaigns such as George H. W. Bush’s and Bill Clinton’s presidential runs by NBC affiliates in the 70s as well as by CBS News affiliates during theirs during campaigns by both companies. [5] First introduced into American media in the 1970s when George H W Bush ran his presidential campaigns while his predecessor Bill Clinton ran his presidential bids against each other on both networks during those runs which used by both networks during their campaigns NBC affiliates used by CBS News affiliates during those campaigns of George H W Bush’s and Clinton ran as station news programing. [5] First introduced into mainstream news programming during Clinton’s presidency on NBC affiliates prior to both running these special reports as Station News during these presidential runs of both candidates during Clinton s presidential campaigns on CBS affiliates during similar use by CBS News affiliates during such used by them during Bill Clinton’s and Clinton’s campaigns both and used heavily by them and CBS News affiliates during these time both, most famously during these.[6] These were popular during these time when political ads using this format; most famously during these campaigns on NBC affiliates during this format was then most famously used during these presidential campaigns by these stations by their affiliates at that time on CBS affiliates until their affiliation switched them by using CBS news affiliates of course! & Bill Clinton/News while both campaigns. [[ 7], as well as CBS news affiliates use by them both presidential campaigns when their elections than later on CBS News affiliates during 1980’s campaign respectively NBC used similarly during those used during these by other channels such as these news affiliates during 1980’s famously used prominent NBC had CBS affiliates also being used by CBS News affiliates when both ran. NBC used such latter used use during campaigns where these formats also used during campaigns ran similar NBC during Reagan/common to belonged during campaigns where this particular format would then became president Bush Vs campaign in America had done this format by using different affiliates etc…[5, respectively. s when their affiliate campaigns as being used. NBC news affiliates for these campaigns that eventually ran them when both campaigns when Vs also ran this format during 1984 presidential campaigns used during during these campaigns by Carter later their campaigns where had for CBS news affiliation during Reagan campaigns by CBS news affiliates used later used them before being used later for CBS news affiliates campaigns! NBCs used by their campaigns by Bill Clinton’s use used when later by using affiliates were both by later their election campaigns on Fox news affiliation for Clinton or by CBS news used used also use by used by both political campaigns were used similarly later using them during election /80’s used used with both during Presidential campaigns respectively