The Infinite Dial

No Shoes Radio, the Kenny Chesney channel which launched Aug. 6, starts out with a few big things going for it. It's built around Country's No. 1 image artist of recent years. In Jon Anthony, it has a General Manager/Program Director with ample experience in both mainstream Country radio and on new platforms. It's the instant brand-driven franchise that many have always expected to thrive on the Web.

The music on No Shoes radio is about 60% music from Chesney, including live/alternate versions of his hits, with the balance coming from the most mass-appeal acts that represent the gateway to the more obscure Bonaroo/Jam Band world. What you won't hear is a lot of contemporary mainstream Country, effectively keeping Chesney out of potentially thorny direct competition with the format that supports him.

In its first days, No Shoes Radio was, according to press reports, broadcasting live Chesney concerts from his current tour as well as interviews with opening acts Lady Antebellum and Miranda Lambert, as well as an interview with producer Buddy Cannon. When monitored today in middays, it was continuous music and imaging, including a lot of fan drop-ins. And there's still not much happening on the homepage yet.

But Anthony notes that initial plans for live broadcasts from only a tour stops have been expanded to Webcasts from every city, beginning with Detroit next week. "We'll be broadcasting from early in the day from Hooters locations (one of our sponsors), then doing live stuff from either out near the venue gates or backstage (or both) later in the day." There will also be a live Chesney show from the Hard Rock NYC and maybe another show to follow. "And then after the tour stops, a few live cuts from the islands!"

And the musical franchise is undeniable: the sort of concept that probably couldn't live on the AM/FM dial in most individual markets, but could muster a respectable worldwide audience. It's almost the mainland version of the Hawaiian/reggae formats that do so well in that state, with a lot of the same utility as Smooth Jazz or a Chillout format -- if not the same music.

Here's No Shoes Radio at 2:15 p.m. today:

Michael Buble, "Sway"
Kenny Chesney, "Back Where I Come From"
311, "Love Song"
Kenny Chesney, "Everywhere We Go"
Steve Miller Band, "Jet Airliner (Acoustic)"
Kenny Chesney, "The Life"
Dave Matthews Band, "The Space Between"
Kenny Chesney, "Summertime"
Kenny Chesney, "Like Me"
Sarah McLachlan, "Blackbird"
Kenny Chesney, "Guitars, Tiki Bars, and a Whole Lotta Love"
Kenny Chesney, "Touchdown Tennessee"
The Band, "Up On Cripple Creek"
Kenny Chesney, "Better As A Memory"
Kenny Chesney & Willie Nelson, "That Lucky Old Sun"
Charlie Robison, "El Centro Place"
Kenny Chesney, "A Lot of Things DIfferent"
Bob Dylan, "Like A Rolling Stone"
Kenny Chesney, "Marina Del Ray"
Keith Urban, "Wichita Lineman"