Olympic bronze-medalist and former FFA member Clayton Murphy talks with “FFA Today” contributor Matt Brechwald about FFA, Olympic glory, and how chasing pigs around the farm can make for great training.
“FFA Today” airs on Rural Radio, Channel 147 on SiriusXM at 7:30 AM Eastern on Saturdays, 6:30 PM Eastern on Sundays, and is available on Sirius on Demand.
12-year-old barrel racing sensation Dally Parker stops by the Rural Radio studios to talk about her remarkable success so far, and her hopes for this year’s “The American” rodeo.
For almost 40 years, Bill Stagg has shared the story of agricultural education and FFA throughout the country. Recently, the longtime director of strategic communications for National FFA announced his retirement, but not before sitting down with Janet Adkison on “FFA Today” to reflect on his time with the organization, and what comes next.
Dolly, Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers and Alison Krauss Set to Perform
(NASHVILLE, TENN. — December 8th, 2016) RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 on SiriusXM Radio are partnering with the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund to help raise money for the victims of the recent fires in the Great Smoky Mountains. Dolly Parton and a number of her friends, including Reba McEntire, Kenny Rogers, and Alison Krauss are scheduled to perform during a telethon, “Smoky Mountains Rise: A Benefit for the My People Fund,” on Tuesday, December 13th from 8:00 p.m. EST – 11:00 p.m. EST on RFD-TV and Rural Radio.
The nationally-broadcast, three-hour telethon seeks to raise money for the Dollywood Foundation’s My People Fund, established by Parton, The Dollywood Company, and Parton’s dinner theaters in the wake of last week’s wildfires in the entertainment icon’s home area of Sevier County, Tennessee. Additional celebrities who will join the “Smoky Mountains Rise” telethon will be announced in the coming days.
“I’m so proud that RFD-TV and Rural Radio can be a part of the efforts to help the families devastated by these wildfires,” stated Patrick Gottsch, Founder & President of Rural Media Group. “This telethon will be a great opportunity to raise more funds to help support the people of Tennessee. RFD-TV viewers and Rural Radio listeners are some of the most compassionate people you’ll meet, and I have no doubt they will step up to help the affected families.”
During the telethon people can call in to donate at 1-866-CAREMORE (1-866-227-3667). All online donations will be directed to the Dollywood Foundation.
“My home in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is some place special,” Parton said. “Wildfires have affected many of the people — my people — who live in those beautiful mountains. We want to provide a hand up to those families who have lost everything in the fires. I know it has been a trying time for my people and this assistance will help get them back on their feet.”
The recent wildfires in East Tennessee have wrought tremendous damage to the Smoky Mountain region including around Gatlinburg where Dolly Parton grew up. More than 1,750 structures have been destroyed and hundreds of families have been displaced. Moreover, the fires disrupted the region’s number one industry — tourism. The area is now open and welcoming guests, but the people directly affected by the fires desperately need help.
Dolly created the My People Fund through her Dollywood Foundation to provide direct relief to the families who lost their homes (primary residence, own or rent). Each family will receive $1,000 per month for six months to give them a hand up. The funds are open to both renters and homeowners whose primary residences are uninhabitable or were destroyed by wildfires in the Smokies. To date nearly 1,700 structures have been affected by the fire and 13 people have died. More than $1 million has already been raised for area families through the fund. Significant donors to the fund include Verizon, Tanger Outlets, Miley Cyrus’ Happy Hippie Foundation, CoreCivic, and The Blalock Company. Remaining proceeds after satisfying this initial effort will be used to provide direct aid in Sevier County, Tennessee.
According to a release from the foundation, “the first funds will be distributed 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. December 15-16 and December 19-20 at the CARE MORE Assistance Center at the LeConte Events Center in Pigeon Forge. One check per household per month will be issued. All recipients must show a photo ID. The release said that those needing assistance in the application process should call 800-DOLLYWOOD.”
RFD-TV is distributed to more than 50 million homes across the country on various cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®, Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter Spectrum, Suddenlink, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural cable systems. In addition, people can watch on Roku, on DIRECTV NOW, and online via our subscription service, the Country Club, at rfdcc.com. Rural Radio is found exclusively on SiriusXM channel 147 and is the agribusiness and Western-lifestyle channel for the U.S. and Canada. Rural Radio’s program schedule revolves around original productions focused on agriculture, equine, hunting, fishing, Western sports, and living the country life in small towns around rural America.
For more information about the Dollywood Foundation, visit dollywoodfoundation.org. For the full program schedule and more information about RFD-TV and Rural Radio Channel 147 on SiriusXM visit rfdtv.com and ruralradio147.com.
Suggested Tweet: Watch @DollyParton’s telethon on @OfficialRFDTV LIVE from #Nashville to raise $$ for #Gatlinburg fire victims. #SmokyMountainsRise #MyPeopleFund #SomePlaceSpecial
Suggested Hashtags: #MyPeopleFund, #SmokiesStrong, #Gatlinburg, #SomePlaceSpecial, #SmokyMountainsRise.
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About Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG):
Rural Media Group, Inc. is the world’s leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and Western lifestyle. With a mission of reconnecting “city with country,” RMG is the parent company of RFD-TV, RURAL RADIO, The Cowboy Channel, and RFD-TV The Magazine. RMG networks are distributed to more than 100 million homes worldwide by DBS, telco and cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®, Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter Spectrum, Suddenlink, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural cable systems. Corporate headquarters and broadcast operations are in Nashville, Tennessee.
About RFD-TV:
RFD-TV is the flagship network for Rural Media Group. Launched in December 2000, RFD-TV is the nation’s first 24-hour television network featuring programming focused on the agribusiness, equine and the rural lifestyle, along with traditional country music and entertainment. RFD-TV produces six hours of live news each weekday in support of rural America and is a leading independent cable channel available in more than 50 million homes. rfdtv.com
ABOUT RURAL RADIO:
Found exclusively on SiriusXM channel 147, this is the agribusiness and Western-lifestyle channel for the U.S. and Canada. RURAL RADIO’s program schedule revolves around original productions focused on agriculture, equine, hunting, fishing, Western sports, and living the country life in small towns around rural America. Broadcast operations for the station are located in Nashville, Tennessee. The channel airs multiple exclusive series including “MARKET DAY REPORT,” “RURAL EVENING NEWS,” “RURAL AMERICA LIVE,” and “WESTERN SPORTS ROUND-UP,” as well as “Outside the Barrel,” with Flint Rasmussen, “Commodity Wrap,” with Marlin Bohling, “AgPhD,” “RealAg Radio,” “AgDay,” “FFA Today,” and “Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.” RURAL RADIO also carries live broadcasts of Western sports competitions such as the PBR, PRCA rodeos, and WPCA Chuckwagon races. ruralradio147.com
RFD-TV and RURAL RADIO are proud of our very own Steve Kenyon of ProRodeoLive.com, who received the WPRA Media Award during the annual WPRA Star Celebration last night at the Grand Ballroom of the South Point Hotel and Casino in Las, Vegas. The award was given to Kenyon in recognition of media coverage he has given to the WPRA and its members through the years on ProRodeo Live.
The WPRA website described the professional rodeo announcer as follows: “Kenyon has had a microphone in his hand dating back to 1993 when he joined the PRCA and started his rodeo announcing career. Today, when he is not officially announcing a PRCA rodeo as their announcer, he can be found at a PRCA rodeo bringing live coverage of the event to the fans through the internet and satellite radio. He also hosts Western Sports Round-Up, a weekly radio program on RURAL RADIO, bringing year-round coverage to the sport of rodeo. He received the PRCA Media Award for Excellence in Broadcast Journalism in 2009.”
Steve Kenyon has worked for more than 20 years in professional rodeo. Since 1992, Steve has brought color and depth to his live broadcasts as a rodeo announcer. He is a Pendleton, Oregon, native and a six-time Wrangler NFR team roping qualifier. Steve is the owner of ProRodeo Live and in 2009 he was awarded the PRCA’s Excellence in Broadcast Media Award. Catch Steve on RURAL RADIO weekdays at 6 PM ET (encore 10 PM ET) and his live rodeo coverage Fridays at 8 PM ET and Saturdays at 2 PM ET on SiriusXM Radio. Get the full schedule at ruralradio147.com.
Get Access to America’s First and Only National Rural Radio Network
Rural Radio Channel 147 is proud to partner with SiriusXM for their free listening period. Starting Wednesday, November 16th and running through November 29th, SiriusXM will be turning on all inactive radios for a 14-day trial as part of a free listening preview. SiriusXM radio owners can reactivate their devices simply by turning on their radio. Enjoy 60-plus channels of SiriusXM with no strings attached! The free listening period means listeners can tune in from anywhere at any time, whether in their cars, pickups, tractors or combines throughout North America and Canada.
During the free trial, listeners can enjoy live rodeo coverage of the rodeo and western sports events on “Western Sports Round-Up” and “Outside the Barrel” with Flint Rasmussen. In addition, you’ll get the latest agricultural news, equine programming, and fan favorites such as “FFA Today” and “Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.
Rural Radio has a strong programming line-up of rural content providing five hours of live agribusiness news on the award-winning “Market Day Report,” plus agricultural programs such as “Commodity Wrap,” with Marlin Bohling, “AgPhD,” “RealAg Radio,” “AgDay,” and “AgriTalk,” giving farmers and ranchers up to the minute news, when they need it most.
New listeners can get their first six months for only $50 and free activation ($15), when they sign up for the service, (58% off). (Note some older Sirius satellite radios may not be capable of receiving the free listening preview channels).
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About SiriusXM
Sirius XM Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) is the world’s largest radio company measured by revenue and has more than 30 million subscribers. SiriusXM creates and offers commercial-free music; premier sports talk and live events; comedy; news; exclusive talk and entertainment, and a wide-range of Latin music, sports and talk programming. SiriusXM is available in vehicles from every major car company in the U.S. and on smartphones and other connected devices as well as online at siriusxm.com. SiriusXM radios and accessories are available from retailers nationwide and online at SiriusXM. SiriusXM also provides premium traffic, weather, data and information services for subscribers through SiriusXM Traffic™, SiriusXM Travel Link, NavTraffic®, NavWeather™. SiriusXM delivers weather, data and information services to aircraft and boats through SiriusXM Aviation, SiriusXM Marine™, Sirius Marine Weather, XMWX Aviation™, XMWX Weather, and XMWX Marine™. In addition, SiriusXM Music for Business provides commercial-free music to a variety of businesses. SiriusXM holds a minority interest in SiriusXM Canada which has approximately 2.7 million subscribers. SiriusXM is also a leading provider of connected vehicles services to major automakers, giving customers access to a suite of safety, security, and convenience services including automatic crash notification, stolen vehicle recovery assistance, enhanced roadside assistance and turn-by-turn navigation.
To download SiriusXM logos and artwork, visit http://www.siriusxm.com/LogosAndPhotos.
About Rural Media Group, Inc. (RMG):
Rural Media Group, Inc. is the world’s leading provider of multimedia content dedicated to the rural and Western lifestyle. With a mission of reconnecting “city with country,” RMG is the parent company of RFD-TV, RURAL RADIO, FamilyNet, RFD-TV The Magazine, and RFD-TV The Theatre. RMG networks are distributed to more than 100 million homes worldwide by DBS, telco and cable systems including DISH Network, DIRECTV®, Comcast, AT&T U-Verse, Mediacom, Charter Spectrum, Suddenlink, Cox, and more than 600 independent rural cable systems. Corporate headquarters and broadcast operations are in Nashville, Tennessee.
RURAL RADIO:
Found exclusively on SiriusXM channel 147, this is the agribusiness and Western-lifestyle channel for the U.S. and Canada. RURAL RADIO’s program schedule revolves around original productions focused on agriculture, equine, hunting, fishing, Western sports, and living the country life in small towns around rural America. Broadcast operations for the station are located in Nashville, Tennessee. The channel airs multiple exclusive series including “MARKET DAY REPORT,” “RURAL EVENING NEWS,” “RURAL AMERICA LIVE,” and “WESTERN SPORTS ROUND-UP,” as well as “Outside the Barrel,” with Flint Rasmussen, “Commodity Wrap,” with Marlin Bohling, “AgPhD,” “RealAg Radio,” “AgDay,” “FFA Today,” and “Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World.” RURAL RADIO also carries live broadcasts of Western sports competitions such as the PBR, PRCA rodeos, and WPCA Chuckwagon races.
Kentucky Headhunters are going “On Safari” this weekend to promote tracks from their new album on SiriusXM Outlaw Country Channel 60’s “Hillbilly Jim’s Haunted Hayride.” This week, the group will be featured on RURAL RADIO’s Friday evening show, “Outside the Barrel” hosted by Rodeo Clown Flint Rasmussen.
The group explains to Flint that they originally considered their music part of the “southern rock” genre, but found that country music industry was changing and eager to adopt a new kind of sound. As the Kentucky Headhunters grow older, they improve their songwriting and hone their singing abilities. Thanks to this, their target demographic has expanded from just rural areas into the bigger cities.
Aptly nicknamed “Southern Rock Royalty,” the Kentucky Headhunters have produced 12 studio albums, four consecutive Top 40 Hits, and earned a Grammy for Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal. Their 2015 album Meet Me in Bluesland, included the sounds of pianist Johnnie Johnson and Rock N Roll Hall of Famer and legendary keyboardist for Chuck Berry. The album reached the No. 1 spot on the Billboard Blues Album chart the week of its debut.
Kentucky Headhunter’s new album On Safari is a southern rock album that highlights the southern way of life and is available at stores and through digital retailers on November 4th. For more information on The Kentucky Headhunters, visit KentuckyHeadhunters.net and follow them on Facebook and Twitter.
PBR Live is in Las Vegas, NV for the BlueDEF Tour Finals:
Monday 10:00pm ET
PBR Live is in Las Vegas, NV for the 2016 Built Ford Tough World Finals:
Wednesday 10:00pm ET
Thursday 10:00pm ET
Friday 10:00pm ET
Saturday 11:00pm ET
Sunday 4:00pm ET
Pro Rodeo Live is in Yakima, Washington for the Columbia River Circuit Finals Rodeo:
Friday performance will air Saturday 2:00pm ET
Saturday 8:00pm ET
Sunday 2:00pm ET (from Saturday 10pm ET)
NEW SHOW! Introducing “RealAg Radio,” the new series from RealAgriculture.com. Your new, go-to source for the latest ag news and issues affecting North American farmers and ranchers. Premieres October 24th and airs weekdays at 4 PM ET on Ruralradio147 on SiriusXM Radioand SiriusXM Canada.
Listen LIVE, online, or on the SiriusXM app. Get the full schedule at ruralradio147.com.
Get LIVE coverage on RFD-TV and RURAL RADIO throughout the rest of the week (Oct 19th-21st)! Over the last few days, FFA Today has met with important FFA specialists to get an inside look on the exciting things to look forward to throughout the convention.
Hear about all things FFA related on our weekly broadcast, “FFA Today”. The show airs on Saturdays at 7:30am ET and again on Sundays at 5pm ET. Tune in LIVE, online, or via the Sirius XM app to Channel 147.
Cindy Hefner, program manager for the National Officer Management Team at the National FFA Organization joins us on “FFA Today.” Each year, everyone looks forward to the grand reveal of convention’s theme song to set the energy and tone in the arena for the next four days. This year’s song is based on the convention’s theme, “Transform,” decided by the officers, who had to describe what that word meant to them in the context of developing agriculture.
“FFA Today” contributor and host of the Off-Farm Income Podcast, Matt Brechwald interviews Scott Jacobs, Career Development Events (CDE) education specialist, who manages the CDE competition process at the National FFA Convention. Over 3,000 FFA members participate in 25 different CDEs throughout the convention.
“FFA Today” correspondent Micheal Clements catches up with Keisto Lucero, Education Specialist for National FFA, who gives a behind-the-scenes look into the officer selection process during the National Convention. A selection committee is created through nominations of current National FFA participants, followed by a series of interviews and practice speeches.
