Country Radio Broadcasters

What Country Radio Broadcasters does

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB), Inc. is a 501c3 non-profit industry service organization founded in 1969 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee. It exists to operate the annual Country Radio Seminar (CRS), a three-day educational convention held at the Omni Nashville Hotel that convenes country radio broadcasters, music label executives, streaming platforms, and emerging artists for panels, workshops, networking events, and artist showcases. The organization is governed by an industry board of directors and is staffed by six full-time employees, including an Executive Director, Senior Director of Brand Marketing & Strategic Partnerships, Director of Logistics & Events, Business Manager, Project Manager, and Manager of Agenda Content.

Revenue is generated through three streams: event registration fees (CRS 2026 full pass at $698, single-day at $349, New Faces showcase ticket at $110, with discounted unemployment rate at $299), corporate sponsorships from music labels, streaming platforms, and industry partners underwriting luncheons and special events, and separate ticket sales for premium events such as New Faces of Country Music and Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley. Distribution is event-driven and direct, with registration managed through CVent and supported by a pair of mobile apps (iOS and Android). The organization also operates the CRS360 year-round webinar series, multiple award programs (Country Radio Hall of Fame, Artist Humanitarian Award, President's Award, Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award, Artist Career Achievement Award), and four named scholarship programs (Rusty Walker, Lisa McKay Women in Radio, Whitney Allen 'Hot Mic', and Futuri Digital Pioneer).

The organization's technology stack is light: it uses CVent for event registration, Squarespace for its website, and basic mobile apps for attendee logistics. There are no proprietary AI/ML models, public APIs, or data products. Strategic partnerships are deep and recurring across major industry constituents, including Amazon Music, Universal Music Group Nashville, Warner Records Nashville, Big Machine Records, BBR Music Group/BMG Nashville, SiriusXM/Pandora, Townsquare Media, the Academy of Country Music, MIW, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The 2024-2025 board re-elected Kurt Johnson (Townsquare Media) as President, and the 2025-2026 board was announced in September 2025.

Name

Country Radio Broadcasters

Legal name

Country Radio Broadcasters, Inc.

Website

https://countryradioseminar.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1969

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is a 501c3 non-profit founded in 1969 that stages the annual Country Radio Seminar in Nashville, a three-day educational and networking event for country radio broadcasters, music labels, streaming platforms, and emerging country artists.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Nashville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Event Registration: Annual seminar registration fees from attendees in the country radio and music industry. Registration tiers include early bird, standard, walk-up, and discounted unemployment rates.
2. Sponsorship: Corporate sponsorships from music labels, streaming platforms, and industry partners for event visibility, luncheons, and special events.
3. Event Tickets: Separate ticket sales for premium events such as New Faces of Country Music showcase and evening performances.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) is a 501c3 non-profit organization that produces the annual Country Radio Seminar (CRS), a three-day educational convention gathering key business leaders across country radio and the music industry. The core offering combines paid registration-based event programming (panels, workshops, networking, artist showcases) with corporate sponsorships, year-round webinar education via CRS360, and supporting scholarship and award programs.

Product overview

Country Radio Broadcasters (CRB) operates as a 501c3 non-profit industry service organization that stages the annual Country Radio Seminar (CRS), a three-day educational convention. The core product is CRS itself, which serves as the premier platform for education, networking, and artist showcases in the country radio and music industry. Supporting products include CRS360 (year-round webinar series), the New Faces of Country Music Show (rising artist showcase), Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley (songwriter performances), and the Digital Music Summit (digital music programming). CRB also operates multiple award programs including the Country Radio Hall of Fame, Artist Humanitarian Award, President's Award, Tom Rivers Humanitarian Award, and Artist Career Achievement Award. Scholarship initiatives include the Rusty Walker Scholarship, Lisa McKay Women in Radio Scholarship, Whitney Allen 'Hot Mic' Scholarship, and Futuri Digital Pioneer Scholarship. The organization also provides a CRS Mobile App for event attendees.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Country Radio Seminar (CRS) The flagship annual three-day educational event for country radio and music industry professionals, featuring panels, workshops, networking, and artist showcases at the Omni Nashville Hotel.
• CRS360 Webinar Series Year-round on-demand webinar program providing industry professionals with insights on country music trends, radio operations, AI adoption, mental health, workplace culture, and music industry movements.

Quantifiable outcome

• The annual New Faces of Country Music showcase has launched careers of almost every major country star

Named customers7 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• NuvoodoocoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 23 January 2026Nuvoodoo sponsors the Women's Networking Breakfast at CRS 2026, an event designed to empower and connect women across country radio and the music industry.
• Whitney AllencoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 January 2026Partnered with retired Country Radio Hall of Fame on-air personality Whitney Allen to launch the 'Hot Mic' Scholarship supporting emerging female on-air talent in country radio.
• Amazon MusiccoreGTM or Marketing PartnerAmazon Music partners with CRS to present 'Country Heat' showcase at the annual seminar, featuring performances by country artists and providing exposure through Amazon's streaming platform.
• Big Machine RecordscoreGTM or Marketing PartnerMajor country music label that hosts luncheons at CRS featuring performances by their roster of artists.
• Warner Records NashvillecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCountry division of Warner Records that hosts Nashville luncheon at CRS with artist performances.
• BBR Music Group/BMG NashvillecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerHosts the annual 'Decades Party' at CRS featuring hits from the 70s, 80s, 90s, and beyond.
• Universal Music Group NashvillecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerUMG Nashville division presents 'Team UMG at the Ryman' event during CRS featuring performances at the historic Ryman Auditorium.
• MIW (Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCRS and MIW partnered on 'Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Country Radio' program to foster development and leadership skills of women in the industry.
• Academy of Country Music (ACM)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerACM sponsors the New Faces of Country Music Show and partners on various CRS events.
• St. Jude Children's Research HospitalcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSt. Jude partners with CRS, with the New Faces Show sponsored by ACM and St. Jude.
• Undue Medical DebtminorOthersNational nonprofit partnered with Nick Steele and Kristen Flowers for their Medical Debt Payoff initiative that has raised over $18 million.
• DMR/InteractiveminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDMR/Interactive supports the Lisa McKay and Rusty Walker scholarship programs.
• Country Top 40 with FitzcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley event and hosts the annual event.
• ASCAPminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors the bar at Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley event.
• Skyview NetworksminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley event at CRS.
• First Horizon BankminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSponsors Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley event at CRS.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves12 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Futuri Media: Futuri is an AI-powered radio technology company (TopicPulse) that funds the Futuri Digital Pioneer Scholarship with CRB. It is a technology supplier/ecosystem participant serving CRB's radio industry audience.
• Nuvoodoo: Nuvoodoo is a radio research and strategy consultancy that is a CRB partner (sponsoring the Women's Networking Breakfast at CRS 2026). It is an ecosystem participant serving the same country radio programming clients.
• All Access Music Group: All Access is a radio industry trade publication and event organizer (All Access Radio Summit) serving music radio professionals. It is adjacent to CRB as a media/events company covering the same radio programming audience.

Direct peers

• Country Music Association (CMA): CMA is the largest U.S. trade organization for the country music industry, producing CMA Fest and the CMA Awards. Like CRB, it convenes country music and radio professionals for education and artist showcase, making it the closest direct comparable in mission and member base.
• Academy of Country Music (ACM): ACM is a peer non-profit organization that produces the ACM Awards, ACM Lifting Lives, and other country music events. ACM is already a CRB partner (sponsoring New Faces), and its similar artist-showcase and award programs make it the most direct comparable peer.
• Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum: A Nashville-based non-profit institution dedicated to preserving and celebrating country music history and honoring its artists. It is comparable to CRB in mission (celebrating country music heritage) and audience (industry professionals and fans), and co-located in Nashville.

Broad incumbents

• Radio Television Digital News Association (RTDNA): RTDNA is a broadcast journalism industry association serving radio and TV news professionals with training and awards. It is comparable to CRB in being a non-profit service organization serving a radio/TV segment, though its focus is journalism rather than country music.
• National Association of Broadcasters (NAB): NAB is the broader incumbent trade association representing U.S. broadcasters across all formats, organizing the annual NAB Show. It is comparable to CRB as a radio industry service organization but operates at much greater scale and broader scope beyond country.

Emerging players

• ASCAP: ASCAP is a performing rights organization that is also a CRB partner (sponsoring Bob Kingsley's Acoustic Alley). It is comparable as a music industry organization serving songwriters and publishers in the country music ecosystem.
• BMI: BMI is a performing rights organization that frequently partners with country music industry events. It is comparable to CRB in serving the country music songwriter and publisher ecosystem.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/CRSOfficial
• Facebookfacebook.com/CountryRadioSeminar
• Instagraminstagram.com/crsofficial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/country-radio-broadcasters-inc

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Country Radio Broadcasters