Brooks & Dunn and Charlie Cook to be Honored at Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Event

Jan 4, 2010 Brooks & Dunn and Charlie Cook to be Honored at Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Event

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.® has announced Brooks & Dunn as this year’s CRB Career Achievement Award winner and Charlie Cook as the CRB President’s Award winner. Both awards will be presented at the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards Ceremony on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2010, at the Renaissance Ballroom in downtown Nashville.  The event serves as the unofficial kick-off to Country Radio Seminar each year. The Career Achievement Award is presented to an individual artist or act that has made a significant contribution to the development and promotion of Country music and Country radio through their creativity, vision, performance or leadership. “Brooks & Dunn has spent the last 20 years giving Country fans and Country radio amazing music and incredible live shows,” says CRB President Becky Brenner.  “They have been terrific ambassadors for Country music worldwide.  We thank them for allowing us to present this Career Achievement Award during the year of their ‘Last Rodeo.’” The President's Award is presented to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the marketing, production, growth and development of the Country Radio Seminar and the multiple services that Country Radio Broadcasters provides to the Country radio and music communities. “Charlie Cook’s creativity and passion for Country radio and Country music have helped to generate success for many radio stations and organizations in our industry, such as the CRB, CMA and the ACM,” said Brenner.  “I am thrilled to have the opportunity to honor this great man, and it is only fitting that we recognize these contributions with our President’s Award.” Additional inductees honored at this year’s ceremony include Bill Bailey, Laurie DeYoung and Rudy Fernandez (Country Music DJ Hall of Fame) and Cy Blumenthal, Dan Halyburton and Michael Hammond (Country Music Radio Hall of Fame). Tickets to the Country Music DJ and Radio Hall of Fame Dinner and Awards Ceremony are $90 with CRS registration.  Single tickets may be purchased for $100.  Please contact the Country Radio Broadcasters at 615-327-4487 or visit www.CRB.org to purchase tickets. About Charlie Cook: Charlie Cook’s radio career began at WMBN in Michigan in 1970.  His first position in Country radio came in 1972 as Program Director at WSDS in Ypsilanti, Mich.  Subsequent stops included Denver, Colo. (KLAK), Wheeling, W.Va (WWVA), New York (WHN), Miami, Fla. (WGBS) and Los Angeles (KHJ and KLAC).  Cook received Billboard’s Country Personality of the Year award in 1977 for his work at WWVA. In 1984, Cook began a 14-year tenure with McVay Media, where he assumed the role of Junior Partner.  In 1996, he joined WW1 and for the next 10 years worked at Westwood One as GM and VP of Programming of the Culver City and Valencia, Calif. offices.   After a stint with Cumulus in Atlanta, Ga., Cook returned to McVay Media in 2008.  While consulting for Go Country (KKGO) in Los Angeles, he was appointed Sr. Manager Country Programming along with his McVay duties. Cook has served as CRS Agenda Chairman and CRB President during his 20+ years as a CRB board member.  He currently serves on the Board of Directors at both the CMA and ACM and has served as Chairman of the Board and President of the ACM.  He is also on the Los Angeles branch of the Board of Directors for the TJ Martell Foundation. About Brooks & Dunn: Brooks & Dunn debuted on the Country charts in 1991 with the single “Brand New Man.”  Over the next 20 years, their career would include chart-toppers such as “Neon Moon,” “My Next Broken Heart,” “Husbands and Wives,” “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You,” “Only in America” and “Red Dirt Road.”  The duo has charted more than 50 singles, released 10 studio albums, two greatest hits collections and a Christmas album.  Two of their 23 No. 1 hits, “My Maria” and “Ain’t Nothing ‘Bout You,” were named Billboard’s No. 1 Country Single of the Year in 1996 and 2001, respectively. Brooks & Dunn has sold more than 30 million albums and won 80 major industry awards in their career.  Among those are 19 Country Music Association awards, including Entertainer of the Year in 1996.  They have won CMA’s Vocal Duo honor every year from 1992-2006, except for 2000.  Their hit, “Believe,” won Single and Video of the Year in 2006.  They have collected five American Music Awards for Favorite Country Band, Duo or Group and two Grammys for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal for “My Maria” and “Hard Workin’ Man.”  They are the most awarded of any act in the history of the Academy of Country Music, capturing 26 ACM trophies in all, including three Entertainer of the Year titles. With the release of 2009’s  #1s …and then some, Brooks & Dunn announced their retirement as a duo following their 2010 tour, dubbed “The Last Rodeo.” About CRS: The Country Radio Seminar is an annual convention designed to educate and promote the exchange of ideas in the country music industry.  Country Radio Seminar is a registered trademark of Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.  CRS 2010 will be held Feb. 24-26, 2010 in Nashville, Tenn.  Regular Rate registration expires Jan. 31 and is currently available online at www.CRB.org or by contacting the Country Radio Broadcasters at 615-327-4487. Follow CRS 2010 on Facebook, or on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/OfficialCRS. About CRB: The Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc. ® is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring radio broadcasters from around the world together with the Country Music Industry to ensure vitality and promote growth in the Country Radio format.  More information may be obtained at: www.CRB.org or at the CRB office at 615-327-4487.