While his radio career may have started out accidentally, Mark Adams—now CBS Radio’s VP of music programming for Houston—has steadily worked his way up through the industry, turning accidental into a deliberate career choice in an industry he remains passionate about.

Early last month, CBS Radio made some big changes at two of its top country stations. Longtime KILT-FM Houston programmer Jeff Garrison, who is also the company’s VP of country programming, transferred to the vacant OM position at CBS’ Phoenix cluster, including country KMLE. Adams, who had been programming the company’s CHR KKHH (Hot 95-7) and hot AC KHMX in Houston, was given VP stripes for the market cluster’s four FMs, and added day-to-day programming duties at KILT-FM. It’s his first-ever country programming job in a long and distinguished career.

Stark Country caught up with Adams this week for an e-mail “chat” about his career, his new duties, and his early impressions of the country format.

Q. What was your initial reaction to taking over programming for a heritage country station like KILT-FM last month?

A. “I’ve done a number of formats, but this is my first country station. It’s been a good transition helped, in part, by our VP of country for CBS, Jeff Garrison. Jeff chose to transfer to our Phoenix cluster, but I’ve been sharing the office next door to him for the past two years here in Houston and he and I have had great programming conversations during that time. So I already had a decent level of familiarity with the station and its staff. I’ve more often than not been involved with stations that have recently signed on or that are relatively new, so it’s a welcome change of pace to work with a heritage station like KILT-FM.”

Q. What were your impressions of the country format prior to working in it day-to-day, and are there any things about it that have already differed from your expectations in any way?

A. “I have to admit my prior impressions were more stereotypical than anything. I just hadn’t spent a great deal of time with the format before. I wouldn’t say I was exactly shocked by the following, but it’s been gratifying to see first hand how our listeners are just like everyone else. The second day I was on the job with KILT we had a listener lounge performance with the Eli Young Band here at the station, and that crowd could have been just as easily from the top 40 or the hot AC station. I’ve intuited for some time country was a far more mass appeal format than is perhaps sometimes portrayed, but again, it’s nice to see that in person.”

Q. What are your immediate priorities for the station?

A. “I’ve been making a comprehensive assessment of where we are today by a number of metrics, identifying areas of strength, weakness, and opportunity, and developing both short term and long term plans to address them. And on a less mechanical sounding note, I’ve just been spending time learning more about the music and the format. Surprisingly, at least to me, I really like a lot of the music. I hadn’t spent a great deal of time listening to country music in the past but am becoming a fan.”

Q. What’s happening with the search for a new morning team to replace the most recent Hudson & Harrigan, who left in March?

A. “Rowdy Yates (previously in PMD) and Erin Austin (previously in midday) have been filling in mornings since H&H departed the station. They’ve done a good job for us, and I’m sure we’ll be making some more staffing announcements in the not too distant future.”

Q. In addition to being VP of programming, do you still handle day-to-day PD duties for any of the stations besides KILT-FM? How do you divvy up your time?

A.  “I’m the day-to-day PD of both the CHR (HOT 95-7) and now KILT-FM. [Adams just hired Tracy Austin to program hot AC KHMX.] In regards to time management, it’s always a challenge. But I have talented support staff across the stations that I try to empower both in terms of areas of responsibility and having ownership of their position and the respective station brands. It’s important to have a schedule, while at the same time being flexible enough to go where my time and attention can be most effective.”

Q. Talk about some of the ways the country format differs from what you’re used to on the pop side.

A. “Well, my ‘A’ rotations on KKHH often top 125 spins per week, so that’s obviously a bit different from your average country station. While we tend to play records heavier at CHR, we also seem to play fewer of them. The one thing that’s struck me immediately is the sheer volume of new music releases at the [country] format. Another difference, which has already been well documented, is just how nice everyone is. In particular, I’m really impressed by how accessible and unpretentious the artists have been. I’ve received a great many genuine-sounding well wishes and ‘Welcome to country’ type of phone calls and e-mails from artists and reps alike. Though I’m only a few weeks in, I’m really enjoying working in the format.”

Q. What has your interaction been like so far with Nashville labels, and what are your initial impressions of the country community? Do you have APD/MD Greg Frey handle most of that, or are you taking some of the calls yourself and sitting in on some of the visits?

A.  “Again, it’s been very positive but to date somewhat limited by necessity. Greg Frey is an extremely capable APD/MD and has been handling a great deal of the interaction, though I’ve made an effort to pop in and say hello whenever someone has taken the time to visit the station. I’m somewhat tough to get on the phone these days, but I make a point to always return e-mail. I realize a large part of any record label representative’s position is simply acquiring accurate feedback, whether positive or negative. I always do my best to provide that information and am looking forward to getting to know the Music Row community better in the future.”

Q. Since you’re new to the format, what are a few things you’d like the country community to know about you.

A. “I read a lot. I tend to only speak in candor, and I’m very passionate about my radio stations. I’m already enjoying the format. The listeners, the music, the artists, the label reps, and everyone else I’ve run across so far have been great. I’m excited about the future of KILT.”

Q. What drew you to a career in radio in the first place?

A. “Honestly, it was somewhat accidental. And I mean that both metaphorically and literally. I had bumped into a guy coming out of a restaurant and nearly knocked him over. While I was apologizing, he introduced himself as a local program director, complimented me on my voice, and then invited me to audition for a part time job at his radio station. I ended up loving the job, and falling in love with radio as well, but it wasn’t my original career path. I attended college to become a teacher. Surprisingly there’s been little call for an analysis of The Canterbury Tales in my current career.”

Q. Run us through your background in the industry: where you started and where else you’ve worked.

A. “My first radio job was in Jonesboro, Ark., at KJBR, where I also attended high school. I worked as an on-air personality there while in college, then moving on to KOY (Y-95) Phoenix. I acquired my first MD position, along with the night show, at KKXX in Bakersfield, Calif., and some time later moved to San Diego in the same roles at XHTZ (Z-90). My first programming opportunity came at rhythmic top 40 KBOS (B-95) in Fresno, Calif., and I later added a sports-talk station (KCBL) in the same cluster. I’ve also programmed adult alternative/modern rock at WPNT Milwaukee, mainstream top 40 in San Francisco (KQKZ), and have been the OM for rhythmic top 40 KXJM (Jammin 95.5) and news/talk KXL-AM in Portland, Ore. I joined CBS Radio in Houston as the first PD for HOT 95-7 (KKHH) when the station signed on in March of 2008. I later added PD duties at hot AC KHMX when we acquired the station (along with cluster mate, Spanish KLOL) in April of 2009, and was upped to VP of music programming for CBS Houston approximately six weeks ago.”

In Stark Country’s occasional “Meet” series, we introduce you to broadcasters who are new to the country format, although not to radio broadcasting. In the last nine months, we’ve profiled KKWF Seattle’s Mike Preston; KNTY Sacramento, Calif.’s Tosh Jackson; Clear Channel voice tracking star Ty Bentli; WPKX Springfield, Mass.’s Don Gosselin and others. All of these previous articles are archived at Radio-Info.com.