National Broadcast Personality of the Year Application Form Created Monday, June 23, 2014 Contact information Show Name Country Countdown USA Show Personality Lon Helton Contact Information Who will be the primary contact for this entry? Name Lon Helton Phone Number 615-491-3671 Email Address lon@countryaircheck.com Page 1
Syndication Syndication List the markets in which you are syndicated National Broadcast Personality entrants must prove that they are syndicated in at least three markets within the United States and Canada, with a minimum of 40 shows per year. Syndicated, Short-Form, Hub Voice-Tracking and Satellite personalities are eligible KKGO/Los Angeles WUSN/Chicago KILT/Houston How many years have you been on the air? 23 Page 2
Bio and Resume for Lon Helton Each week a different country star joins Lon Helton to co-host Country Countdown USA. Co-hosts in the last 12 months have included George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Taylor Swift, Carrie Underwood, Brad Paisley, Tim McGraw, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Jason Aldean, Toby Keith, Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Lady Antebellum, Dierks Bentley, Zac Brown Band, Billy Currington, Chris Young and Jake Owen, among many others. Lon Helton has been the host of Westwood One's "Country Countdown USA" since its inception in 1992 and "Country's Inside Traks" for the past 18 years. He was honored as the CMA's National Broadcast Personality of the Year in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010 and 2012, and was named the Academy of Country Music's National Broadcast Personality of the Year in 2009, 2012 and 2014. He was inducted into the Country Music DJ Hall Of Fame in 2006. Lon spent 12 years in Country radio prior to joining Radio & Records as Country Editor in 1983. Shortly after Billboard purchased R&R in August 2006, Lon launched Country Aircheck, a Country radio and Country music industry trade publication. CA produces a daily news email blast, a weekly publication featuring news and analysis plus the Mediabase Country chart, and a quarterly print publication focused on issues important to the Country radio and music industries. Lon's 12 years in Country radio took him from Monmouth, IL in 1971 to WGIL & WAAG/Galesburg, IL, KLAK/Denver, WMAQ/Chicago and KHJ/Los Angeles. He has hosted nationally syndicated Country radio shows since 1984, including "Country Close-Up," "Nashville Live," "Country Star Traks," "Listen-In" and a variety of Country radio specials. A 1972 graduate of Monmouth College in Monmouth, IL, Lon received the college's 2010 "Distinguished Alumnus Award." Lon has been married to Anne for 42 years. They have two children, Amanda and Brad. CCUSA Affiliates CMT's Country Countdown USA airs on more than 250 radio stations worldwide, including in the last 12 months these leading Country stations: KKGO/Los Angeles WUSN/Chicago WKLB/Boston KILT/Houston WYCD/Detroit WKIS/Miami
KMPS/Seattle KMLE/Phoenix WIL/St. Louis KYGO/Denver WDSY/Pittsburgh KNCI/Sacramento KBEQ/Kansas City KEGA/Salt Lake City WCTK/Providence WGH/Norfolk WQDR/Raleigh WWYZ/Hartford WQIK/Jacksonville WYRK/Buffalo WAMZ/Louisville WQMX/Akron WIRK/W. Palm Beach WWGR/Ft. Myers KRST/Albuquerque KTOM/Monterey WCAT/Harrisburg WEZL/Charleston WBYT/South Bend WWQM/Madison WPUR/Atlantic City WKNN/Biloxi KIZN/Boise KOUL/Corpus Christi WFRE/Frederick KUAD/Ft. Collins WLWI/Montgomery KPLM/Palm Springs WXBM/Pensacola WFYR/Peoria WRWD/Poughkeepsie WLLR/Quad Cities WKCQ/Saginaw KFGY/Santa Rosa
Country Industry Leadership Country has numerous organizations dedicated to promoting the music and the radio format, creating a very real bond among those who have spent much of their professional lives in Country. Lon Helton served the following organizations during 2014. Country Music Association Serving the Country Music Association s Board of Directors since 1983, Lon was elected President for 1998-99 and Chairman for the 1999-2000 and 2000-2001 board years, making him the only person in the 53-year history of the CMA to have served in the top elected leadership positions for three consecutive years. CMA Foundation Lon serves on the eight-person Board of Directors for the CMA Foundation, which exists to provide financial support to worthwhile causes that are important to the Country Music Association and the Country Music community. The CMA Foundation places special emphasis on serving the needs of CMA s core constituents and nonprofit organizations with initiatives that preserve the legacy of the format, support music education, and respond to such other needs that may be identified in the future by CMA. County Music Hall Of Fame & Museum For the past 13 years Lon has served on the Country Music Hall of Fame & Museum Board of Directors. He is currently on the Marketing and Development committees. St. Jude Children's Research Hospital A member of the original group that helped launch the very first radiothon in 1990, Lon is a member of the St. Jude Radio Advisory Council for the "Country Cares For St. Jude Kids" fundraising initiative on behalf of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, TN. National Corvette Museum OK, so it's not exactly Country music. But Lon proudly serves on the Board of another organization centered around another of his loves the Corvette.