become a country band? I have heard a couple of their new songs on KPUL.

Never heard of the Eales.

But I wondered about the same question last week when ABC had the CMT Awards and were promoting a special appearance by the Eagles. I also wondered about Rascal Flats. When I saw them as an opener for some other concert at the Rose Garden some years ago, they were not a country band but a rock band. I know it was a rock concert but I don't recall who the main attraction was. I remembered Rascal Flats because they had a long moving walkway across the stage that the lead singer kept getting on and walking backwards.

But I don't remember what I had for breakfast two days ago.

Many Eales songs have somewhat of a country sound. Check "Desperado", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Take It Easy", "Already Gone", "Seven Bridges Road", even "Heartache Tonight". All might sound right in place on KPUL.

I recall The Eagles being one of the first major multi-format acts of the modern era.

They got airplay at Country, AC, Top 40, & AOR with the LP that yielded "Best Of My Love," "Take It To The Limit," "One Of These Nights." Can't remember if "Life In The Fast Lane" was from the same LP.

I was programming WSAI in Cincinnati at the time, and the band was played at each of these formats. Plus touring: They often began & ended their tours in Cincinnati. I recall a private Don Henley birthday dinner with the band in Cincinnati...hosted by their "Eagles poker partner," Kenny Buttice, VP of Promotion for Elektra-Asylum at the time.

When I took KWJJ from "worst to first" circa 94, the CD "Common Threads...Songs of The Eagles" played an integral part. This CD yielded "Take It Easy" from Travis Tritt...perhaps a more rockin' take on the song than the Eagles original, as well as "Desperado" by Clint Black,
"I Can't Tell You Why" by Vince Gill. Each of these tracks sounded more contemporary than the originals because of digital multi-track recording that made them "hotter" and "cleaner" than the old analog ways.

The Country revolution of the early 90's was fed by a "rockin' guitar sound." By this time, Z100 was largely urban girl groups played
back-to-back, and hip-hop/rap.

Where was the sound that Z100 listeners had grown up with???...Bob Seger, Fleetwood Mac, Eagles....guitar based music???

I saw it as a positive that disenfranchised Top 40 listeners were looking for "the sound they grew up with"...& Country could deliver it.

When adding library, programmers have the ability to "fix" their past mistakes...by recognizing today's need for a song that was "out of format" in the past...or which was not played or underplayed. Some of these songs provide "spice" to an otherwise "template" format.

Spend 60 days with Country...& you don't hear the "twang" anymore.

As for Rascal Flatts...they are a major act that shows up on the Country charts only. However, their sales are huge and come from all demos...
many outside of Country's core. Thus they become a CUME BUILDER as long as other formats overlook them.

It all contributes to the "art of programming."
Every song should be a "nuclear tipped missile," yet the presentation must be "expect the unexpected," & that includes occasionally coloring outside of the lines musically, too!!!

Albert Einstein is quoting as saying, "Doing the same thing, and expecting different results is my definition of insanity."

The Eagles had three Country charting songs:

Lyin' Eyes #8
New Kid In Town #43
Seven Bridges Road #55

From the book "Joel Whitburn's Top Country Singles 1944-1988".

Keep in mind, this was the era of "regional hits," which were determined by whether or not a station added, which is always a precursor to determining audience reaction and adjustment of rotations.

There have been many records that were actually larger hits than the national charts reflect, because of the "envelope" of airplay.

Case in point, Portland's U-Krew. Their hit went top 10 at station-after-station that played it. However, it got added in many markets after in had crested in others.

To maximize chart impact, labels need to garner airplay over a very focused period of time.

That's why many songs by major artists that debut with high "out of the box" chart numbers...don't have legs. Everybody finds out the song is a hype at the same time...and bails. Garth Brooks, Madonna...they've all had those kind of releases.

And Elvis songs started showing up on Country stations and no longer on Pop music stations, mainly after was gone.

I remember first hearing Conway Twitty on pop music stations (Only Make Believe) and then he went mainly country..... back to his roots, I guess, in the 70's.

The Eales had some great hits too.

"Desperate","Peaceful Easy Feltings", "Took It Easy", "Already Gnome", "Life in the fist lane", "I Can't Tell You Apart", "Hotel Californication"

Man doz waz de daze.

Rascal Flatts finally arrived at "Pop" radio in 2006. "What Hurts The Most" was a huge hit for AC/Hot AC, which crossed over to CHR.

Let's face it...country music is the new Top 40 of today, especially with adults, many of whom can't stand hip/hop, rap, alternative, etc. The Eagles were the second generation of The Byrds who started making hit records written by Dylan then went to Nashville, then broke up. Linda Ronstadt, Graham Parsons, Emmy Lou Harris, Pure Prairie League, all had that country sound and the Eagles carried on the tradition. Their incredible song writing skills and harmonies made them stand alone amongst their peers. Today's country superstars grew up listening and playing Eagles music. So where did the Eagles go to showcase their first new music in years....to country radio and CMT of course, and WalMart who is retailing the Eagles CD exclusively. It sold almost 800,000 units the first week out...and only at WalMart. Now that my friends is what Superstardom is all about.

The "Long Road Out of Eden" is pretty much a country album. "How Long" seems to be the favorite pick to play but for me it burnt out real quick. The title track "The Long Road Out of Eden" is my favorite but at slightly over 10 minutes in length it'll never catch airtime. Good music but not great.

Watching Arcade Fire on "Austin City Limits," I couldn't help thinking that "Bullhorn Country" might be an intriguing concept.

Robin Mitchell... Throwing down some major knowledge about music!!!

You're awesome!