About Chuck Shorter

The year was 1962. The scene was my parents’ kitchen in Philly. Suddenly, I heard something coming from the top of the refrigerator. Mom said it was a radio playing music. Right then and there, I was hooked! I asked my Dad to take me to the record store and bought my first 45’s, “Go Away Little Girl” by Steve Lawrence and “Ruby Baby” by Dion.
A little later, I discovered American Bandstand and it solidified my passion for music. Growing up in Philadelphia didn’t hurt. At the time, some of the best music was heard on the great WIBG and WFIL. I knew then that I wanted to be a DJ, entertainer, and musician!
In 1974, I attended broadcasting school and landed a job working in the mail room at WCAU-TV and radio where I continued to learn about broadcast media, with the hopes of catching a break in a major market in the USA. But fate had other plans.
In 1977, I was offered a position at CBS Records to work in the mail room and learn the music business. I progressed through the ranks…mail room to merchandiser to sales. In 1986, I was offered the opportunity to move to the Washington, DC region to manage a sales territory and I have been in Maryland ever since. This was by far the BEST job anyone could have! What a time to be in the music biz!!!
In 1989, I realized my dream as I took over as an on-air host for a local pro wrestling talk show on WMET. In 1993 when the show ended, another co-host and I developed the show for TV. We debuted on Public Access TV in Montgomery County, MD and Washington, DC in 1994. This show ran on air for 20 years before ending in 2014. In 2003, I went back to radio, hosting a show on WYRE playing the great music of the 40’s through today.
From 1975 through 2016, I was a mobile DJ working at weddings, corporate events, family fun nights, and everything in between. I also managed to spend time in a wedding band from 1979 to 1984.
Entertainment and music are in my blood! I am now retired from radio sales and am extremely excited to currently work as a fill in DJ with the talented individuals at Hall Of Fame Music to bring my enthusiasm for the music of my youth to the airwaves.
My passion has been entertaining people for over 40 years and keeping the music alive. I greatly look forward to doing the same for the Charting In The USA listeners!

About Kay Cook-Abbott

Name of show
1. Orange Blossom Special Show
2. Down at the Honkytonk

How did you get into radio?
After working on an online radio station during 2020, and seeing my dad who is also a radio presenter, I decided I wanted to have a go at doing a radio show of my own. I love country music, especially upbeat driving country.

Orange Blossom Special Show
I started the Orange Blossom Special show January 2021. I wanted to have a show where both mainstream and independent artists shared the same spotlight, and so remove the
divide. I love upbeat driving country music, so that was the initial idea of what music the show would play. The idea of the train taking a journey through upbeat country sprang to mind, and so became the strap line for the show.

Initially, I only played upbeat country, but I love bluegrass music and western swing, and so decided why not drop a couple of each style of music into the shows each week. Following the train journey theme, this became stopping for a grass party and taking a
swing break (that was a play on the American term ‘spring break’). I also liked the idea of highlighting an artist by playing 2 in a row from the artists, and so in came the double shot. A more recent addition to the show is the ‘Take Cover’ element, where I play an old song that has been reinvented by a different country artist, or a pop song that has been covered by a country artist. I love the music I choose for the show as a whole.

One feature that I am particularly pleased with is how I have situated the show actually on the train. You have the tannoy messages alerting you to the trains departure and reaching its destination, and when we have upcoming stops, and when I speak, you can hear the sound of the train in the background.
In 2023, I won the Fairplay Red Carpet Country Music Award for ‘Best Female Radio Presenter’, for the Orange Blossom Special show. The Orange Blossom Special is my baby, its 2 hours of upbeat country music from yesterday to today, from mainstream and independent artists, and I am very proud of it.

Down at the Honkytonk
I started ‘Down at the Honkytonk’ in 2022. Being a lover of country music, I was aware of how much country music is connected to drink, bars, getting drunk, honkytonks and so on. Some upbeat and punchy, some slow and solemn. The show only plays country music
with a drink connection. With the success of the Orange Blossom Special, I decided I had to follow a similar theme,
so, as the show is called ‘Down at the Honkytonk’ it had to be situated in a honkytonk. There had to people laughing and chatting and having a good time in the background and
music playing. Originally it was a standard music track, but now it’s a live band with people cheering and applauding when the band finishes a tune.

This is a fun show, and is supposed to represent being a bar, so of course, I have to indulge
in a little beverage or two …….. or three myself, all in the name of the show of course.

About Me
I am an independent singer/songwriter from the United Kingdom. I have been performing since I was 18 years old, although not so much since Covid. The last band I was in was
with my dad who is also a musician and radio presenter. We played country music and 60s and 70s music.
My music sells on all the main platforms and Amazon. I have won several awards for both my music and my radio work. I am now heavily involved in the music industry working with promoters and record labels.

In my private life, I am the mother of 4 and a very young grandmother of 8. My husband supports me with all my music and radio work, and is a pillar of strength for me. 

My Musical influences are: Terry Clark, Emmylou Harris, Mary Chapin Carpenter. My Country crushes include: Billy Currington, Blake Shelton, Chris Young and Tyler Hubbard.

Who do I like to listen to?

Honestly, I would be here all year listing them. There is so much
great country music out there. If you want to know whose music I am loving at any given time, the best way to find out is to listen to the Orange Blossom Special show each week.

About Stevie P Doyle

Stevie started his career way back in 1987 at the tender age of 15. He first presented with Radio Star a Pirate Station based in Monaghan, Ireland. It was a great time for country music in Ireland as between 1987 and 1990 an influx of new stars like John Hogan, Mick Flavin, Declan Nerney etc.. were breaking onto the scene and most of these would never have gotten the break except for Pirate Radio Stations like Radio Star, Radio North and Erneside Radio.

Stevie started singing too professionally in the early 1990's and had a very successful career in the booming Uk Irish music scene and releasing 5 studio Albums. This Success saw Steie up sticks and move to the uk as this is where the most of his work was. In 2015 he retired from singing due to vocal problems but kept his hand in radio.

Since the demise of Pirate Radio there were very limited resources giving the new talent a break and they really struggled to get airplay and so the seed was sown that paved the way to him starting his own station and here we are today with Country NI.

Stevie's values are ingrained in every part of the station with his passion for playing and promoting the new talent emerging and the rising talent who have started to make a name for themselves in the music business in Ireland and the UK.

Steven Sinclair, who is well-respected in the music industry has enjoyed 11 years of broadcasting Scottish Music which started in 2013 presenting the Scottish Dance Show on his community radio station, Caithness FM.
 Steven is now in his 12th year on the radio, having done his debut in August 2012 on his local community station, Caithness FM presenting Friday Night Hits. Steven also presented two weekly shows ‘Scottish ‘n’ Irish Country’ & ‘All Scottish’ on North Highland Radio since 2015 up until the station closed down in August 2021. Steven's current show – ‘Sinclair Country' - is on Country Music Radio NI every Sunday afternoon from 2-4pm. If you like and enjoy all kinds of Country music, this show is essential listening on a Sunday afternoon. Steven includes a great selection of music from the likes of local Scottish Country favourites, Irish Legends and also some of the newer Rising Stars from Ireland. Listen in and you'll hear popular favourites, newly released albums plus some oldies from Vinyl or Cassettes. If it's good, Steven plays it.

When Steven left school, he went away to Moray Firth Radio to do a yearlong VQ Certificate in Radio Broadcasting Course in 2014. Having grew up listening to the Scottish and Country music specialist shows on Moray Firth in the evening he wanted to learn more about the radio industry and learn some new skills he could use on his 2 weekly shows he was presenting on Caithness Fm.
Steven has a huge knowledge of Music and Radio. Steven plays the Accordion and Piano and has a big love for Country and Scottish Music. Steven has become interested in all forms of Country and Scottish music and has checked out artists to add to his varied record collection. 
Steven has enjoyed going to the local Accordion and Fiddle Club's, the Country clubs and also to music concerts and festivals.

Steven has lots of memories attending 8 of the popular local Northern Nashville Caithness Country Music Festival’s held in Halkirk, the artists who performed at the festivals have been influences on Steven’s music. Steven was hooked on Country Music and live shows after his first time at the festival as a fan in 2006. Steven is always keen to have guest artists on the show for a chat and you can hear the interviews on the programmes from time to time. The artists have said when Steven interviews it’s like having a conversation with a friend and he asks the right questions, the questions you would want to know the answers to. Steven has interviewed the cream of the Country music world since starting out interviewing artists in 2014, he has recorded over 60 interviews with all different artists. 

Steven is currently studying BA (Hons) Applied Music @appliedmusicuhi