“American Idol” winner Scotty McCreery (pictured) and runner-up Lauren Alaina both enjoyed impressive add weeks and healthy chart jumps again this week for their respective singles. Meanwhile, the responses from radio and record executives to last Tuesday’s articleabout them, and a couple of previous Stark Country stories, continue to pour in. They represent a range of views of this topic.

• “I gotta say I was more than a little surprised to read some of the venom on Scotty. While he has not had the time to mature, he certainly has grown on ‘Idol.’ To announce that his career was DOA was cynical and shortsighted. People with less talent have gone further in a number of formats. Some of the prevailing attitude ignores the fact that millions of fans are voting each week. If radio had some of the passion that ‘Idol’ generates, our collective future would be less cloudy. Radio and its listeners would be better served with passionate stations who GET BEHIND new talent, rather than running it down.” —Dan Halyburton, VP/Innovation, McVay New Media

• “All of these letters are heartfelt and sincere but one fact still remains: the kid has only a limited vocal range. Now there are many successful singers who could not sing every octave. Blues singer Bessie Smith barely had one octave but, damn, she made the most of it! What I can’t get over is that this season above all others showcased the most diverse group of vocalists ever, yet the safest, most vanilla performer won it. Maybe that says more about the psychology of the ‘American Idol’ voter as much as anything.” —Kevin Profitt, APD WKCQ Saginaw Mich.

• “For what it’s worth, I like Scotty! I’ve been playing his performances since the beginning of this season. Kinda cool that ‘Idol’ comes down to two country singers as the finalists. How can we, as a format, lose?” —Dale Carter, PD/morning host KFKF Kansas City

• “I have not gotten one single request for either ‘Idol’s’ music.” —Tim Jones, PD WCTQ-FM Sarasota, Fla.

• “[A] couple of quick observations on some of the fans responses to Scotty McCreery on the radio:
1. I’m sure most, if not all, programmers will disregard any support from someone who claims to ‘hate’ country music. The chances of them spending much time listening to country radio just to hear a song from Scotty are rather slim.
2. From the remaining comments [from] the country music fans, there may be some programmers who fear ‘new-traditionalism’ and think there may be a backlash from listeners who like a more pop sound. Personally, I think there’s room, and a need, for both.” —Sean Kelly, MD/air personality KWOX-FM, Woodward, Okla.

• “I, too, was disappointed to read all the negative comments about Scotty McCreery in Stark Country… I don’t watch ‘Idol’ very often, but a non-music biz friend called me [recently] to rave about the young man and encourage me to be sure and watch him. It’s impressive that someone that young can sound so mature, sort of like Blaine Larsen when he first came on the scene. You can’t help but compare Scotty to Josh Turner, but that shouldn’t be considered a bad thing. There are many new artists getting played now that sound so much like each other that it’s difficult to tell them apart. You know Scotty will get his record deal, so let’s see what happens. Hang on to all those negatives so you can re-publish them after he’s had his chance and we can see who was right.” —Chuck Thagard, Quarterback Records

• “I think Scotty and Lauren are both lovely young singers. I will be surprised if anyone is still talking about either one a year from now.” —Laurie DeYoung, morning host WPOC Baltimore

• “We as programmers have to be in touch with the fans (listeners) and what they want. We can’t dictate the different styles of country music. We don’t set musical trends, the artists do. Whether it’s the new country style of Jason Aldean, Colt Ford or Scotty McCreery, we must play what the fans want, not what we want. The fans love Scotty! So you better be playing Scotty or you’ll lose to the station that does.

“I remember back in the early ’90s when Billy Ray [Cyrus] came out and he had that long mullet haircut. A lot of the older country people said, ‘That’s not country music, he doesn’t look country or sound country, that’s rock ’n’ roll.’ I vowed to never turn into one of those that can’t see past their own nose! Bring on the new, fresh and different sounds of country music. Bring back the old conservative, traditional styles as well. There’s room for everyone at this party!” —Craig Powers, VP operations Cameron Broadcasting

• “I’m still waiting for that big hit from Taylor Hicks. Come to think of it, who won ‘Idol’ last year? ‘Nuff said.” —Big John Libynski, KQSS-FM Miami, Ariz.

• “I read a couple of articles this week about how country radio would deal with ‘American Idol’ finalists Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina when they released their singles. I was disappointed to see that many programmers and music directors said they were ‘dreading’ the releases. ‘Average’ and ‘wannabes’ were the words most used to describe Scotty and Lauren. Maybe these ‘experts’ are right. Maybe these two don’t have as much talent as some of the new unknown acts already signed by Nashville, but anything that generates 95 million votes, is something radio should RUN to be involved with. That’s a ton of passion for a couple of young country singers. This is the youngest match-up in ‘American Idol’s’ 10-year history and it [was] the first all-country final as well. Country radio should be doing everything possible to embrace these two. Scotty is 17 and Lauren is 16. Will they be stars when they hit 20? Who knows? What I do know is that millions and millions of people are interested in Scotty and Lauren, right now. That should be all the reason any programmer needs to play their music.” —Bill Gamble, AccuCountry Programming

• “Regarding Scotty McCreery, the kid is OK. Personally, I’ll take ‘CMT’s Next Superstar’ contestant Matt Mason over young Scotty any day. McCreery’s best-praised attributes are also his downfalls. While grandmas think he’s a sweet and wholesome young man, country gals these days want their MEN to have a bit of a rough edge and some dirt under their nails. Even if these superstars have never seen a working ranch up close, at least give us someone who has to shave and could feasibly lift a bale of hay into the back of the truck. Also, I’d be curious to know how many middle aged men (and as I understand it, the PD positions across this country are still male dominated) wouldn’t prefer their son have a little ‘wild child’ in him as well. Life isn’t fair. Talent is judged on more than vocal ability. Scotty boy may just be TOO clean!” —Niki Kozak, morning co-host KSNI Santa Maria, Calif.

• “We need to reflect [and] remember [the] last couple of years. We were wanting to see some country on ‘Idol.’ We had Carrie [Underwood], Kellie Pickler, Bucky Covington, then nothing. Now, Scotty and Lauren singing country, and we’re punching them out before it’s done. He’s got as good a chance as they did. He might have a little more followers than they did. The late Mike Chapman told me. ‘Don’t matter what you think, listeners buy the music and make the stars. Play what they like. Play what’s hot. You’ll do alright.’ Good advice from a great man!” —Big John Bowen, PD WKKW Morgantown, W.Va.

• “‘American Idol’ has certainly figured out the television viewer world. I got an e-mail from a friend last night who was watching ‘The Bachelorette’ (another reality show I’ve never watched). She said that she knew it wasn’t real, but she couldn’t help but watch and wish for true love for herself. Then I read a blog by Bob Lefsetz yesterday where he said, ‘Today’s music executives want to be rich and famous too. Otherwise, explain to me why Jimmy Iovine gets so much airtime on ‘American Idol.’ Yes, the executives are as bad as the wannabe acts. Artistry comes last, and the public tunes out. TV shows are not about music, but competition, no different from sports, with winners and losers, whereas artistry is never about competition, other than losers trying to illustrate to the rest of the world that they are winners.’

“Then it clicked. Actually, it was like a gong going off in my head! ‘A.I.’ has a hook in our mouths and we are not only being pulled, we country music fans are swimming happily to the boat! ‘American Idol’ figured out who their audience is. Carrie Underwood, the only real star to come out of ‘American Idol,’ is COUNTRY. It took them several years, but lookie here, we have two country music finalists this year, and country music fans are so proud ’cause us country music folk always feel like underdogs. Well, duh. This show is not about artistry, it’s about competition and TV ratings. Radio should look at it as such, not as a talent pool from which to pull the next hit single or rising star.

“Is there a club out there that wants to ban reality shows forever? Where do I sign up?” —Gwen Foster. Average Joes Entertainment Group