Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. Inducts Charlie Cook into 2011 Country Radio Hall of Fame

CRB, Inc. has announced Charlie Cook, Dale Carter, Dene Hallam, Barry Kent, Bill Payne and Lee Rogers as its 2011 class to be inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame.

Charlie Cook
VP/Country

Recently named the third most influential person (and top radio person) in Country Music Airplay by Country Air Check Magazine, Charlie Cook is a 38 year broadcaster, active in country radio for 35-years. Charlie also has experience as an on-air personality, Program Director, Operations Manager, Consultant, VP of Programming for Westwood One Radio Network, and Cumulus.

Charlie is VP/Country for McVay Media, a position he held from 1984-1996 before returning to the company January 2008. With Charlie’ s vast experience in the media industry, he will be consulting terrestrial radio, and aiding McVay in consulting Syndicated Programs, Artist/Singers and their managers within the Country arena.

(Nashville, TN – Nov. 1, 2010) Charlie Cook, Dene Hallam and Bill Payne are the 2011 Radio inductees for the Country Radio Hall of Fame . The class of 2011 will be officially instated at a dinner ceremony on Tuesday, March 1, 2011, at the Nashville Convention Center.

About the 2011 Radio Inductees:

Charlie Cook – Charlie Cook began his Country radio career in 1972 at WSDS in Ypsilanti, Mich. In the ‘70s, Cook spent time at KLAK in Denver, Wheeling’s WWVA and WHN in New York. He was named “DJ of the Year” by Billboard in 1977. In 1980, he joined KHJ in Los Angeles, flipping the station to Country. Cook then went to KLAC before joining McVay Media in 1983 as Sr. VP of Country Programming, where he consulted more than 40 Country stations over the next 12 years. In 1996, Cook joined Westwood One as VP Programming/Formats, and in 2006 he joined Cumulus as VP Programming for the company’s 61 Country stations. Los Angeles’ KKGO hired Cook as Sr. Manager of Country Programming in 2008. Cook has previously served as president of both the ACM and CRB. In 2010 he was awarded the CRB’s President’s Award. Charlie Cook remains a Country Specialist with radio consultancy McVay Media.

Dene Hallam – Dene Hallam (1954 – 2009) was one of only two programmers to win Billboard’s Program Director of the Year in two different formats (Country and Top 40). His Country radio career began as a program director at WFEC in Harrisburg, Pa., in 1977. Among the numerous stations Hallam programmed were New York City’s first FM Country station, WKHK, as well as WWWW (Detroit), WHN (New York), KKBQ (Houston), KYCY (San Francisco), WKHX (Atlanta) and WDAF (Kansas City). In 2007, Hallam returned to Atlanta, where he served as program director for the “Moby in the Morning” network until his death in 2009. While at KKBQ/Houston, Hallam was awarded Billboard’s Program Director of the Year award (Country format) in 1995.

Bill Payne – Bill Payne began his professional radio career in 1951 at only 12 years old, spinning records on “Bill Payne’s Record Shop” on KWHP in Cushing, Okla. By his early twenties, he had become an FM pioneer in Oklahoma, having built an operable radio station that broadcasted from inside his garage. In 1977, he purchased Tulsa’s KTFX and changed the format to Country, becoming the first FM Country station in Tulsa. Today, Payne owns five Country radio stations in Oklahoma, including KEOK/Tahlequah, KTLQ/Tahlequah, KITX/Hugo, KTNT/Eufaula and the relocated KTFX in Warner/Muskogee. Payne’s KITX has been nominated nine times for Marconi awards and received numerous awards from the Oklahoma Association of Broadcasters

“The quality and quantity of applicants for the Hall of Fame is truly amazing. It is a great reminder of the impact and legacy that so many talented people have made through their careers in Country radio. We are thrilled to honor six such deserving individuals at this year's Hall of Fame dinner,” says Chairman of the Country Radio Hall of Fame, Charlie Morgan.

The Country Radio Hall of Fame dinner and induction ceremony unofficially kicks off Country Radio Seminar each year. CRS 2011 is March 2-4, 2011, at the Nashville Convention Center.

To purchase tickets to the dinner and induction ceremony, click here and download the registration form and return it to the Country Radio Broadcasters prior to February 2, 2010 or visit www.crb.org.

The Country Radio Hall of Fame is dedicated to the recognition of those individuals who have made significant contributions to the radio industry over a 20-year period, 15 of which must be in the Country format.

About CRB:
The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format. More information may be obtained at: www.crb.org or at the CRB office at 615-327-4487.