Josh Turner  - Firecracker  - 2007  -  (Album - Everything Is Fine)

I have always liked Josh Turner.  His big, well schooled voice is a gift for him and to us, and when he got the right song it was magic.  OK, that is far too dramatic for this song, but for Long Black Train, or Hometown Girl  it was apt.  This song is a more fun side of Turner, and right now, fun and carefree sounds really good.  It's Winter, dark, and there are a lot of songs out now that are really heavy, this is a nice break. Turner has a blast with this jukebox number.  This was a #2 hit and the only reason it was not #1, was Taylor Swifts, Our Song had a multi week stay there at the top spot.  Turner is very likable and super talented and I feel there is always room on our charts for a song like this.  This is just fun, sit back relax and catch Turners huge voice, being huge.

This past year, 2023, may have just been the biggest and best year of my life thus far.

I graduated college after five years despite setbacks from Covid. I was so fortunate to be hired for my first full-time job in the industry I love at my favorite radio station, WQMX. I was then able to quit my long-term part-time job of which I loathed.I saw some amazing concerts and even met some cool performers like Riley Green, Megan Moroney, Russell Dickerson, Lainey Wilson and more! I proposed to my now fiancée and moved out of my childhood home into our first home together with her, with a mortgage and everything.

I took motorcycle classes and am now endorsed to ride on my driver's license (if I can find where I lost it). I fixed up an old boat that has been in the family, got both the barge and myself legal to be out on the water, and thoroughly enjoyed a couple of amazing lake days throughout the summer. I bought a cool new daily driver 4x4 and learned stick shift.

We celebrated my Grandma's 90th birthday. My brother, dad, and I experienced our first Buckeyes football game in Columbus. We attended a bunch of weddings and unfortunately also some funeral services. My childhood pup, Spike, reached the end of his road too. I gave up smoking cigarettes.

I won an award for best station imaging within UA's WZIP and had the honor of going to the IBS 2023 college radio convention in New York City with them, where we were nominated for a national imaging award under my leadership as the station's production director. We also scooped up a second-place CBI award for best station imaging at the National Student Media Conference in Orlando. Though I wasn't along for that trip, I compiled our entry which contained a significant amount of my own creative work. I'm proud! 

I'm sure there's quite a bit I still haven't mentioned, but that's probably enough to give you a feel for just how many pivotal things happened to me last year. It certainly wasn't all peaches and cream, but I can't help but feel lucky to have had such a momentous 2023. Through laughter and tears, love and loss, fun and drudgery, and everything in between; it really was a good year!

I'm going to have a tough time topping this past year in 2024, but my motivation to progress in life and make good things happen remains strong as ever. One of the really big things I'm looking forward to is the adoption of my own first dog, Hank the bloodhound. Outside of that, I don't have many firm aspirations planned out. I know I want to learn to use the welder I got for Christmas and work with it to finish up the big buggy project that has been in the garage waiting on me to find the time... but, I digress.

Cheers to 2023, and here's to 2024! I hope yours is everything you want it to be and then some. Take it day by day and keep your eyes on the prize, then do what you need to make it all happen. We've got this!

I know in Country circles she's a polarizing figure, but her contribution and influence cannot be ignored or dismissed. Taylor Swift must be looked upon as someone that brought millions of fans to us, and influenced an entire generation of new artists in our format and others.  But no one who's tried to duplicate her singing and songwriting style has had near the success that Taylor has had by a mile.  She's an original.  This was the start of a career that would take off to heights only dreamed of.  A young artist, singing a love song that mentions one of her heroes as smoothly and openly as a teenage girl would write about it in her diary.  That's Taylor's gift.  She knows who's listening, who she's singing to, and saying exactly what they would want to say.  As moving as this song is, the real springboard was her singing this on worldwide TV to Tim and Faith on the ACM's, then introducing herself at the end.  It was a magic and original moment.  Granted, Taylor Swift would have many bigger country songs - but this bold, daring and darling song was the start of a career that no one could possibly imagine.

Last Week - #50

Taylor In My Influencers Series

Taylor Sings To Tim McGraw - Pivotal Moment

These are the Throwback Songs Of The Day in 2023... Thank you for listening. 

The Throwback airs at 3:20-3:25ish each weekday.

You can let me know what you would like to hear at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or after 3-ish on The Cricket Wireless Studioline 330-370-2000.

Jan 3  Tim McGraw with Truck Yeah.... 

It is that time of year! Here is the list of my top 5 songs for 2023:

5. Kane Brown - "I Can Feel It"

4. Ryan Griffin - "Heart To Break"

3. Chris Young - "Young Love & Saturday Nights"

2. Dustin Lynch - "Stars Like Confetti"

1. Luke Combs - "Fast Car"

Looking forward to seeing what artists will bring in 2024! Happy New Year :)

The Browns are the talk of the town and NFL thanks to the remarkable story of Joe Flacco.  He's giving an entire region hope there could be great things happening early this winter.  His story is not about football, it's about intangibles in sport and life.  We are watching the measure of the heart, and that's why it feels good.

Flacco is almost 39 years old and was on his couch a few weeks ago and playing catch with his dad and five kids. After the Browns had no where else to turn, they called Flacco to see if he could bring his healthy self here and run their practice squad.  As it turned out the Browns had zero idea they had just made the call that was the missing link they didn't even know they needed.  People skills is not this organizations strength at all. But this was a ridiculous stroke of very good luck, for a city due for some.

I know my title sounds like a law firm but it's not.  It is apt as Flacco can be mentioned in the same breath as these guys with the totality of his story.  These guys possess immense intangibles and heart to make others around them much better.  In some cases, those were ridden to Superbowl titles and the Hall Of Fame.  Let's talk about that a minute.

Kurt Warner from Northern Iowa University played in the Arena Football League.  When the Rams called he was stocking groceries at Hy-Vee Supermarkets.  And when two QB's in front of him were injured, he got the chance he dreamed of.  He won a Superbowl and MVP with the Rams and took the Cardinals to the Superbowl, after they had not won a post season game in some 60 years.  He's in the Hall Of Fame.

Tom Brady from Michigan a 6th round draft pick who couldn't run at all and was also third string till he got his chance because of injuries with the Patriots.  Seven Superbowl wins later he's the greatest QB to ever play.  He's going to the Hall Of Fame.

Brock Purdy from Iowa State, the last guy picked in the draft a couple years ago, also third string until injuries, is now the best QB on the best team in the NFL.  There's MVP talk about him and I'm not so sure he shouldn't win. 

And Doug Flutie. About 5 foot 6. played QB in the NFL with various teams and had good success. He won numerous championships in Canada.  And in the NFL was always a fierce competitor leading a few teams to the postseason all while looking like he was in high school.

Why mention them? Because they are kindred to Flacco today.  These guys and Flacco, just because of who they are in life make everyone better.  Guys around them believe in and are inspired by them.  They block better, play harder and buy into them.  Warner was the total underdog and players around him respected him, knew his limitations and just wanted to be better when he was on the field.

Brady always a sixth rounder, was not at all athletic and somehow became the greatest ever.  He then became Flacco at 40, having great success in a new city.  The guys around him played harder for their aging leader.  Same with Purdy today, by far the lowest paid dude out there breaking his butt for the 49ers.  And Flutie, all 5 foot of him, his diminutive stature alone made 350 pound men want to protect him understanding the risk he was taking simply being on the field.

Today Old Man Flacco is all of them rolled into one.  The humble restart of Warner, the advanced age of Brady,  the stupid low pay of Purdy, and the fearlessness of Flutie.  He has the tools to still play at a high level and has his priorities right.  There's no social entourage, no drama, no lawyers, none of that stuff, just his family. Not many NFL stars have kids old enough to see dad do something this cool.  He's also a Superbowl winner and MVP.

Are the Browns playing for him as others did for the aforementioned?  You bet they are.  Flacco is what the PLAYERS needed.  They feel Flacco gives them a legit chance to go a long way, maybe all the way.  We have not had this kind of veteran leadership here in 25 years since returning. They're playing as the Browns did for Bernie Kosar who garnered that respect with his extreme physical limitations, but his superior skills and leadership. 

Add him to the list of Warner, Brady, Brock, Flutie and Flacco!

GO BROWNS!

In case you missed some of my articles this week from WQMX.com, let's get you caught up!

Thanks for reading and listening every day!

Browns - Warner, Brady, Brock, Flutie And Flacco

50 Most Important Songs 1980-Present - #50

Forgotten Jukebox BB-18

CMML - The Mega Star Series - Alabama

Wynn At The Movies And More

Box Office Results - #1 -  Wonka  24 Million

#2 – Aquaman

#3 - Migration

New This Week  - Night Swim 

Next Week -  Mean Girls  /  The Beekeeper  / The Book Of Clarence  

Theaters – Are going to start offering more food and booze items and even have intermissions for longer movies – to attract more people

The Golden Globes - Are on Sunday The goodie bags are worth half a million bucks

Saved - 2023 is being considered a good year at the movies overall. Saved by Taylor Swift, Barbie, Mario, Oppenheimer, and Fast X - offset the writers and actors strikes

This Weekend – Check out my Country Music Memory Lane - Mega Star Series  (link)

Also - The 50 Most Important Songs 1980 - Present #50  (Link)

This month as we begin a new year, I am going to share  -  as we revisit my Country Music Memory Lane - Mega Star Series.  These are artists that are on the top shelf of stars of recent past.  The true Mega Stars of our format over our recent past.

This week we star off with Super Group  - Alabama.  We owe them an awful lot, as they really kept Country in the limelight during a time of real transition - from pop country to more traditional.

Super Group - Alabama

I'll Give You All My Love Tonight  - The Bellamy Brothers  -  1989 -  (Album - Crazy From The Heart)

As the Bellamy Brothers topped my 50 Favorites From 40 Years list with, Let Your Love Flow, seems fitting they also have a song in the Forgotten Jukebox.  This song is absolutely wonderful from a very different time.  This album, to me their best, and this was one of the big singles from it.  The Bellamy's recorded a lot of really great music in the 80's and 90's and were always on the charts with some 20 number one songs.  This was Top 5 and got a lot of airplay.  At this time, country was shifting far more traditional, and as you listen to this, you'll see this is not.  But what this is, is good.  Some of the Bellamy's music was hard to categorize, but it was always very good music.  They still tour and still play.

My Full Profile On The Bellamy Brothers