They’ve developed a two-hour weekly Country Music show intended to primarily be a “support our troops” show. “Serving Your Country” will mix the Contemporary Country format with coverage of the activities in the realm of the U.S. military abroad and first responders at home.
The music-intensive, 2-hour weekly show is anchored by the award-winning morning man from WUSN/Chicago (US-99.5), Ray Stevens, also known as “Ramblin’ Ray.” The announcement came from USRN’s EVP/Programming, Andy Denemark.
Serving Your Country is an in-house creation at United Stations and the program is unique in the landscape of network radio. The show is the first program created for commercial, over-the-air radio stations to be centered on news, interviews, commentary, stories and listener interaction revolving primarily around the everyday heroes who make up our nation’s military personnel.
Numerous Country recording artists have already contributed segments to the program, and both a toll-free number and a website have been set up to enable listeners to make requests, dedications and air “Letters From Home” sent out to loved ones and friends who are stationed away from home. The series launches during the broadcast week of 4/1 with a weekend airdate of April 6-7 for the first episode.
USRN will handle both national ad sales and affiliate relations for the program. Singer-songwriter Laura Bryna will join Stevens for several segments per week to deliver requests, the “Letters from Home” and other listener interaction on the show. Laura has extensive experience providing entertainment and moral support for our troops and their families. She is a celebrity spokesperson for the U.S. Air National Guard as well as The National Guard Youth Foundation, a group that works with at-risk youth. Laura has been on a number of military bases and donned a uniform herself to go airborne in an F-16 fighter jet.
The Maryland native released her debut album, titled Trying to Be Me in 2008, and that same year, released the song “Hometown Heroes,” which has become a popular anthem at her many appearances at various military functions.
Says Denemark: “The concept for this show just seemed like a natural. Country radio stations, the Nashville community, the format’s biggest stars and even a number of our sponsors ALL do more than their fair share to show support for our American servicemen and women. We thought that if we could capture that spirit with a weekly program, we just might create a winning show that also pays it forward by honoring our bravest with awareness and recognition.”
