"Prime Time Country"

The Trew Audio rental department has had the privilege of working with TNN (The Nashville Network) on a number of shoots. Many times we have provided walkie-talkies, repeaters and numerous accessories for these shoots. Brad Adams, the Communications Engineer, works closely with Trew Audio, providing us with a list of frequencies for reprogramming our radios. Lest you think TNN only shoots shows in Tennessee, our most recent rentals have been galloping all over the countryside.

Gary Chapman interviews the lovely Martina McBride

The show is Prime Time Country with Gary Chapman. "What is that?" you may ask. Well, I’m glad you did. Basically, it is country music’s premiere nightly showcase for TNN. It is hosted by Nan Sumrall and Grammy-nominated entertainer Gary Chapman. It is produced by the Dick Clark Company—Nashville, and formatted similarly to The Tonight Show with interviews of the acts performing that evening. However, it has a much stronger musical slant. It airs Monday through Thursday and usually has about 5 songs per 1-hour show. Some of the previous guests on the show have been George Jones, Lorrie Morgan, Sawyer Brown, Alabama, Martina McBride, and Shania Twain, to name a few. It is a superior source of exposure for up and coming country artists as well as established legendary artists. It is received in more than 70 million homes across the USA and in 5.4 million Canadian households.

Prime Time Country went on the road in 1999, and is produced on location in a number of cities including Houston, Las Vegas, and Orlando. The preparation for these shows is a hectic time for the TNN staff. There are truck schedules to coordinate and the loading of equipment, not to mention limited space requirements on the trucks and wireless frequency coordination. At the middle of everything wireless is Brad Adams.

Brad has developed a relationship with Trew Audio over the years. We have not only worked with him on Prime Time Country, but on a number of other events including the BellSouth Senior Golf Classic. Obviously, the Communications Department already owns a number of walkie-talkies and other equipment. However, it is sometimes necessary for them to supplement their stock for certain shows. That is where we come in.

With our stock of rental radios and repeaters, as well as the ability to reprogram radios, we are an ideal choice. We will usually drop off the equipment a couple of days before the trucks leave town. This allows him to verify all the frequencies against TNN’s equipment with his fancy gizmos and other mad scientist type equipment. He does this a few days before leaving town in case of any last minute equipment failure or incorrectly programmed frequencies. A smart move as any of you who have been on a production crew is aware. To date, neither of these have been a problem.

While we often do business with Brad and TNN, don’t think for a moment that they go easy on us. Brad’s reputation is at stake every time the walkie-talkies go out. His requirements are stringent. We double check every radio going out of here to verify that the programming is correct. He requires only the highest quality batteries for maximum charge duration and minimum headache. It is also necessary for the equipment to be packed in a neat and organized fashion. Once they arrive at the shoot, he may not be available for their unpacking. Therefore, they have to be organized intuitively. This may not seem like an outlandish request, but I’m sure you have opened rental gear only to find it thrown together haphazardly. This takes extra time and effort on the part of the crew to locate necessary parts and organize the equipment. It is extra time spent that they often don’t have to spare.

Once the equipment returns from the shoot, we unload it and verify that everything is in working order. We check for any damages or missing items. So far, TNN has had an excellent track record. In addition, Brad has gone to extra lengths to make sure that all billing and paperwork is in order, and alerted us to any changes well in advance.

The success of TNN and Prime Time Country has definitely had an impact on our business. Through continuing rentals, we have developed an ongoing relationship with TNN. We are happy to be able to provide the excellence of service and selection of equipment that they require. In return, Brad has become a repeat customer, and Trew Audio, Inc. has become a prime contender for Prime Time Country.  — Matt Hamilton, Rental Manager

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