Box Office Results - Uncharted / 44 million  -  (What A Hit!!)

Big Dog  - Dog - (15 million) /   Spiderman -  (7.7 Million) 

Tom Holland - Stars in movies 1 and 3 above!  He's on an incredible roll right now.  (Story)

New This Week - The Desperate Hour  (Being shredded by critics)  -  (Naomi Watts)

Many - Of the Oscar categories will NOT be shown in the broadcast this year – Boring and little TV interest.  (Story)

Free Guy - Is now streaming for you on various platforms with Ryan Reynolds  (Story) 

Jamie Lee Curtis - Says NO MORE Halloween movies after this one that comes out October 15.  A 45 year run for her!  (Story)

Wendy Williams - It appears her show as we know it, may be over for good. (Story) 

You - Will soon be able to watch Fuller House somewhere other than Netflix.  All episodes be on GAC Family February 28th  (Story)

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane  -  Mega Star Series -  (Vince Gill)   (Read It Here)

Vince Gill is our next Mega Star, and his story is one of incredible success all across the board.  Vince Gill is about the most versatile artist we have ever had, and he continues to have great success in the music world.  Mega Star is not too big of a phrase for Gill.  His talent, voice, and his incredibly magnetic persona were priceless to us. I have PROUDLY played all his songs on great country stations all over the country.

Fun Old Song 1984 - His Debut Country Song  #40

Gill's journey to big-time success was a long one, but once he got there, he dominated.  He was with the pop-rock-country band Pure Prairie League in the late 70's who had a couple of pop hits, and sang the lead on their hit song, Let Me Love You Tonight.   His vocals were incredible and so was his guitar playing.  So much so, he was invited by rock guitar legend Mark Knopfler to join Dire Straits, but Gill declined.  Big gamble as DS was a big deal in those days.  He went on to play with greats like Rodney Crowell and Ricky Skaggs before getting his own deal and starting a solo career which got off to a very slow start.

A Reinvented Gill 1990 - His Real Breakthrough Hit - #2

I was at WRMZ in Columbus, Ohio doing the morning show when his first single came out, Victim Of Life's Circumstances. (An Old Delbert McClinton Song)   I loved it as it was a rockabilly type of song with some really slick guitar work from him, but his success was moderate at best.  That was 1984.   Through the rest of the 80's Gill was on the charts but to mostly very average success where he was not alone in that regard. Country itself was struggling and trying mightily to find a new way and had not settled on a definite new direction.  But when Randy Travis and the class of 1986 gave us absolute guidance to traditional country ending the pop stuff, it opened doors for others to follow.  The savvy ones that were listening and watching closely saw the new writing on the wall, and Gill was one of them.  The course was set, that was where we were going.

Liza Jane - Big Song - Real Concert Favorite

For Gill, even though he was quietly on the charts for a few years, 1989 was his breakthrough year with the incredible album, When I Call Your Name and the rest is history.  The title song was a massive hit with a very traditional arrangement that immediately won fans over.  The class of 1989 was the next step for country, and Gill got on board.  For the next ten years or so, Gill had a great run of terrific traditional sounding songs.  He dominated the country award shows like no other and the Grammy's as well.  He sold millions of albums, had a bunch of number one and top ten songs and gave us a "hat-less" point man  -  in the Hat Act Era that virtually every fan loved. 

One Of My Favorite Gill Songs   - His First #1

Gill's incredible vocals were simply the best in Nashville over this stretch. His songs, arrangements, albums, plus his warm, inviting, approachable demeanor and look made him a gigantic star.  The next five very successful albums each selling millions solidified him as a legit musical star in and out of country.  Gill brought us a lot of new fans with his emotive ballads especially, that pulled no punches and were exceedingly powerful and poignant.  His 1996 album, High Lonesome Sound to me is an incredible work of musical art, as I feel it's one of the best country albums ever.  It's also in my top ten favorite albums ever recorded regardless of genre.

Another #1 - Absolutely A Powerful - Haunting  -  Incredible Country Song 

Vince Gill simply became a legend. He is the all-time leader in CMA Award wins, including 5 consecutive Male Vocalist Of The Year awards, only person to do that.  He also hosted that show on TV for 12 years, ten solo (most ever). (He handed me my CMA Award before the telecast in 1997).   He has won 21 Grammy's so far which is the most ever for a country artist. Gill sold close to 30 million albums, and recorded with about every major artist in country and other genres with total respect and success. He married superstar Amy Grant, and became an incredible ambassador for country music by immersing himself deeply in Nashville.  Gill is by every account a superstar himself.  Gill is a scratch golfer too.  Interesting guy.

On The Charts - His Biggest Song - 3 Week #1

In 2017 Gill was invited to join the legendary rock group The Eagles and has been with them since and is a perfect fit.  I saw them in 2018 and his vocals are spot on and contribute to their continued and remarkable success, as it is still insanely pure.  His guitar work is also legendary on his own material and with the Eagles. When many of Gills age have diminished skills, he doesn't seem to have that problem.  He still sounds great, and so do the Eagles.  Vince Gill is one of the most respected and sought after singers and musicians there is, and has been for 40 years.

My Favorite Gill Song  - What A Song

We were so lucky to have Vince Gill.  With stars like Garth, George, Alan, Clint, Shania, Brooks And Dunn, Travis Tritt, Faith, Alabama, Randy Travis, Reba and others being so prevalent at that moment, Gill was right there with them and really helped make the 1990's the best in our history. Vince Gill wasn't in their shadows, in fact in some facets, he out shined many of them with the entirety of his accolades.  A decade filled with hat acts, loud button down starched shirts, big belt buckles, and the line dancing and club craze, Vince Gill was just different enough for everyone to like -  whether you wore a hat or not.  The true genius of Gills music was letting that incredible voice always be the star of every song and allow the music simply ride along with it.  That ability is the envy of anyone who dares to sing a song.

This Album Is So Good - Load It In Today

FOOTNOTE - These Gill albums are mandatory owning  -  When I Call Your Name  / Pocket Full Of Gold  /  I Still Believe In You / When Love Finds You  /  High Lonesome Sound

One Of The Most Requested Songs Of My Radio Career - Keith Whitley Tribute  (W/ Patty Loveless And Ricky Skaggs)

I would still pay good money to see Mega Star, Vince Gill.  He was most certainly The Quiet Giant of his his era!

Others In My New Mega Star Series -  (Check them out)

Alabama

Nate Barnes has released his follow up to "You Ain't Pretty", from his debut album of the same name. His second single is called "Right About Me", it's about a guy who is considered hard to love, but he finds a girl who proves them wrong.

I love hamburgers!  I could eat one every day!

This is a really good article on how to exactly make the best hamburger for you.  Check this out, it's really fun and these burgers look really, really good!

The Perfect Hamburger?

This morning I'm talking on the show with a long time client and very good friend, Amy Wengerd at EXP Realty about her new radio jingle. It was recorded by Rascal Flatts lead singer Gary Levox. 

We will debut it on the show this morning and it will be a part of her ad campaign going forward on WQMX. I am very proud to have my name next to hers for these many years, and hoping for many more.  These are really good people not only to do business with, but to know.  They are first class in every regard and so is this new jingle.

Selling your home is a big deal, or settling an estate.  I have done both in the past two years with Amy and her crew and the experience was perfect.   Call her at (330 - 681 - 6090) and let them do the rest. 

Make sure you feel good about who you are choosing to do this job with.  That's the Amy Wengerd Group Powered By EXP Realty and or course, amysguarantee.com

The Wengerd Group Facebook

Amy Wengerd and her amazing company are a proud sponsor and partner in about every important charity event we do throughout the year!  I am very proud of my association with her and her company.  She and her husband Joe are remarkable people that give back to the community that has been good to them. Flat out GREAT people!

Me and Amy at one of many Charity Events over the years.

Thanks to you we had a GREAT time bowling at the fantastic Charger Lanes Saturday for the Second Annual Red, White And Bowl event benefiting NEOPAT.

Terrific show too from Dillon Carmichael that listeners loved before his GREAT show at the Dusty Saturday Night.  We raised a bunch of money for NEOPAT and that's always a good thing too.

WE have the best listeners in the world and we know it!

Thanks again to you, Charger Lanes and everyone that made the day GREAT!  Let's do it again next year!

Jon Pardi has been in the studio working on new music for an upcoming album, and today he released a new song that will be on that album called "Last Night Lonely". Jon is still in the midst of writing and recording his new album so there is no firm release date just yet, but he hopes to have it released by September. 

Hey it's Ben, I talk a lot about Raising Cane's... from their hand-battered cooked to order chicken fingers meals, the sweet tea or lemonade and Cane's Sauce is Boss!!! 

If you want to work at Raising Cane's they make it easy to apply go to WorkAtCanes.com or text RCJOBS to 97211...  

Some of the one-time Crew Members might look familiar... 

#Bengals rookie Ja’Marr Chase spending his first couple days of the offseason working behind the counter at @raisingcanes in Cincinnati pic.twitter.com/t9yAziTJ1w

— Kelsey Conway (@KelseyLConway) February 17, 2022

Stetson Bennett Celebrates National Championship Win by Working Raising Cane's Drive-Thru  

Here is another familiar face...

What are you waiting for?  Join the Crew, looks like a fun place to work.

New artist Erin Kinsey has released her debut single "Just Drive". This is a song about enjoying the simplicity of just being with the person you love. Instead of the fancy dates, just take a drive. It was tonight's New at 9 'New Song Spotlight' so take another listen and let us know what you think on our Facebook page! 

Box Office Results -  Death On The Nile   (13 million)    /    Jackass #2

New This Week - DOG   /  Uncharted  

Marry Me - From JLo - 8 million  (Story) 

1883 - Renewed for Season 2  (Story)

A Quiet Place Part III - Is coming in 2025  (Story)

Chris Pine – And Crew -will return for their fourth Star Trek movie. Filming will begin by the end of the year   (Story) 

The Latest Spiderman - Is now the third highest grossing movie ever in the USA  – it passed Avatar this week. Up next  - Avengers:Engame and Star Wars:The Force Awakens   (Story)

Jlo's- Wedding dress in her new movie weighs 95 pounds and takes 5 people to move it  (Story) 

Julia Roberts And George Clooney – Are making a rom/com together - Production halted in Australia (covid)  - Ticket To Paradise  (Story) 

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane from this week  (Read It Here)