The Mid-South got hammered with severe storms last week. Tornado Warnings in the middle of the night woke us from our deep sleep, and we wondered for about three seconds where we were and who set the alarm for 2 a.m. Well, it wasn’t an alarm, the radio, or a smart speaker. It was the National Weather Service.
During this drill, we immediately enacted two routines: (1) Turn on the local TV station. (2) Find Nashville Severe Weather @NashSevereWx on YouTube. If you live in a dramatic weather climate, you build a fake relationship with your local TV meteorologists. They’re local celebrities. If you met them in the grocery store, you would feel confident enough to talk to them. Grocery store: That’s an old-fashioned term for a place where you buy food for your house. Current events sarcasm.
The ease of conversation with these celebrities is made possible by the universal topic of the weather. It’s like food. We’re all affected by it. Politics, religion, and ethnicity become boundaryless when the tornado sirens start blaring. If I see Danielle Breezy, Lisa Spencer, Dan Thomas, Nikki-Dee Ray, or Katy Morgan in that grocery store, the weather will be an easy topic starter. Well, for me, at least. I assume it’s an eye-roller for them.
Tweets were read on the radio on 104.5 FM.
During severe weather warnings, David, Andrew, and Will of @NashSevereWx are the other celebrities in our safe space. They’re weather enthusiasts wearing baseball caps, drinking coffee, and calmly and casually talking about the weather affecting Davidson and Williamson Counties in Middle Tennessee.
David explains the history of their hobby-turned-enterprise and includes this development on their website: “On March 2, 2012, a supercell dropped a tornado in Cheatham County. It was tornado-warned across Nashville and released huge hail. We tweeted all day and night. Tweets were read on the radio on 104.5 FM. The following went from 2,000 to 8,000 in a day.” I included that paragraph because David gives props to the power of radio engagement.
“…we don’t need no Batman…”
Patrick Mayberry is a singer-songwriter who lives in Middle Tennessee. Join the crowd, right? He’s a fan of Nashville Severe Weather. I know this because he posted a Reel about his family’s overnight companionship with the @NashSevereWx team last week.
Radio personalities have the gift of being expressive in the audio world. The introduction of video and social media in the content creation world has provided multiple opportunities to engage with an audience. I know several radio DJs who are musicians. Radio was part of the plan or a detour to becoming a rock star. Those skills were good for making song parodies on the radio or performing at the annual Christmas party.
In 2025, your talents beyond the microphone allow you to connect with an audience that will never know your work in the studio. If recreating landscapes on canvas is your talent, make a Reel or Short in your best Bob Ross wig. Pick up the guitar like Patrick Mayberry and create a song about a current event. Or, host a 67-second cooking show from your kitchen if you have food-prep hacks. Why 67? Because the 60-second show is taken. Your talent extends beyond the studio. Express it to expand your brand and fail forward.
Music With Meaning
Those of us who spend a lot of time listening to radio stations and different formats on multiple platforms know when a jock/presenter likes a song. I’ve heard several DJs in recent weeks casually slip in how much they like Lola Young’s Messy. It was a first-listen for me. The rhythm line is one of those songs that could be a hit if it were released in the ’80s or ’90s. I discovered she attended the prestigious BRIT school, where Adele and Amy Winehouse were schooled. Yeah, Lola is the real thing, and radio studios feel her authenticity.
However, the most interesting part of my research was discovering that her father was a professional bass player. I think he influenced that infectious beat. Here’s a link to the radio edit. After being #1 on the Alternative chart, it moves up to #7 on the Top 40 chart this week. I just wanted to say that so I could sound like Ryan Seacrest.
Continuing with the countdown… I heard I Believe from Killswitch Engage. Get ready to rock with some positive lyrics. You might want to hear this after looking at your 401(k). Here’s a line:
“Some people will say it’s part of life
I chose to refuse to let it slide
Finding faith in these dark times
Keeping hope alive, I believe, there is hope for better days
I believe, we will conquer what we face”
How many times have we sat in radio station music meetings listening to songs and someone said, “She could sing the Bill of Rights, and it would sound good.” Jamie MacDonald is one of those artists, and she reached the number one slot on the Contemporary Christian chart this week. Here’s the official acoustic version.
Two more…
Elton John and Brandi Carlile performed their Top 10 Mainstream Adult Contemporary song Who Believes in Angels? on SNL over the weekend. This line: “Sometimes honest is being caught in a lie.” Whoa. My favorite Country Radio lyric this week: Josh Ross, Single Again. “Make me your first call after your last call with him, and you won’t ever be single again.” Drop the mic. That’s Country.
Ron Harrell
As the Founder and Principal Story Finder of Harrell Media Group, I offer Brand Consultation, Talent Coaching, and Fractional Management for radio and audio brands.
Contact me for a No Copy & Paste review.
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