There is no answering the question “what is America’s greatest radio market of all time?” There’s not really a need. The strength of radio was in its numerous market battles. But many of those were in Houston —Top 40 KKBQ (93Q) vs. KRBE; Urban KMJQ (Majic 102) vs. KRLY and later KBXX (the Box); multiple Country battles: KIKK vs. KILT (then FM100), 93Q Country vs. both stations in the early-to-mid-’90s, and current day 93Q under PD Travis Moon vs. KILT (100.3 the Bull), under Melissa Chase.
Part of what always made Houston so fascinating was the interplay between Country and R&B. In the ’70s, Country radio played “Fire” by the Pointer Sisters; a year later KMJQ played the Eagles (and Christopher Cross). 93Q crossed over both “Pancho & Lefty” by Willie Nelson & Merle Haggard and “La-Di-Da-Di” by Doug E. Fresh & Slick Rick. Clubs played Country and Hip-Hop together long before it became common elsewhere. As an Adult R&B station, Majic played Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey” because it was a hit in the city’s blues clubs, and later Blanco Brown’s “The Git Up.”
So in Houston, “Texas Hold ’Em,” Beyoncé’s first Country single, has a back story. On Wednesday, 93Q became the first Country station to officially add the song. FM100’s sister station KHMX (Mix 96.5) had initially been the one that played it; on Wednesday, they gave “Texas” a spin as well. Even without that hook, February is always a great time to hear Houston’s Country stations as they head into Rodeo Houston. It was time for a Fresh Listen.
Rodeo is already front and center on Urban One’s 93Q, positioned as “Houston’s Country Leader,” but also billing itself as “Houston’s Rodeo Radio Station.” Five times a day, the station spins the “Wheel of Rodeo” for tickets to a different concert, or all of them. In the hour I heard, p.m. driver Lo asked for callers at :00 with the payoff (Carly Pearce tickets that hour) 10 minutes later.
Audacy’s “Texas Proud” The Bull was promoting its ”Honky Tonk concerts at Cookout,” in conjunction with Bud Lite, at the BBQ World Championship starring Midland, Warren Zeiders, Priscilla Block, Zach Top, Neon Union, Chase Matthew, and Tigirlily Gold. Its giveaway was “Ticket Tag” — this hour’s winner, Sergio from Manvel, had to tell MD/p.m. driver Nick Russo that Ashley from Navasota had won the hour before.
In recent years, my first question during any Fresh Listen has become “is there something happening?” In general, major-market Country stations have done a really good job at conveying classic radio excitement. If you liked hearing Houston’s Country radio battles in their heyday, hearing 93Q vs. the Bull this week felt like the energy level was still there, and effort was still being expended.
Both stations had Valentine’s Day sweepers. 93Q’s imaging was a little quirkier, but The Bull had some of those pieces, too, declaring “love is in the air. So is the smell of manure. Hey, it’s Rodeo Season!” Russo’s writing was overall creative — “now, the sweet sounds of Brett Young” went one frontsell. Lo had callers on the air other than her winner.
When “Texas Hold ’Em” came on, she told listeners, “I am so excited to play this.” Soon after, she posted on Instagram about it. PDs in all formats are still sorting out “Texas Hold ’Em” ahead of add dates at both Top 40 and Country next week, but 93Q’s transition was well-finessed. (It also came right after Jelly Roll, meaning that Beyoncé followed a former rapper now shared with Active Rock and CHR.)
Here’s KILT at 4 p.m.:
- Brooks & Dunn, “Ain’t Nothing ’Bout You”
- Brett Young, “Dance With You”
- Jon Pardi, “Dirt on My Boots”
- Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor”
- Luke Combs, “Where the Wild Things Are”
- Pat Green, “Wave on Wave”
- Thomas Rhett f/Riley Green, “Half of Me”
- Morgan Wallen, “Wasted on You”
- Jason Aldean, “She’s Country”
- Cody Johnson, “The Painter”
- Dustin Lynch, “Stars Like Confetti”
- Dillon Carmichael, “Drinkin’ Problems”
- Chris Stapleton, “White Horse”
- Tracy Byrd, “Ten Rounds With Jose Cuervo”
- Garth Brooks & Ronnie Dunn, “Rodeo Man”
- George Strait, “Run” — kicked off 5 p.m. hour after a stopset
Here’s 93Q at 5 p.m.:
- Chris Stapleton, “You Should Probably Leave”
- Luke Combs, “She Got the Best of Me”
- Bailey Zimmerman, “Religiously”
- Cody Johnson, “The Painter”
- Miranda Lambert, “Mama’s Broken Heart” — staged with a sweeper about story songs
- Tyler Hubbard, “Dancing in the Country”
- Lainey Wilson, “Wildflowers and Wild Horses”
- Brett Young, “In Case You Didn’t Know”
- Parmalee, “Take My Name”
- Parker McCollum, “Burn It Down”
- Clay Walker, “Live Until I Die”
- Jelly Roll, “Need a Favor”
- Beyoncé, “Texas Hold ’Em”
- Thomas Rhett, “Unforgettable”
- Dustin Lynch f/Mackenzie Porter, “Thinkin’ ’Bout You”
- Billy Currington, “Good Directions”
