I am a western singer/songwriter and poet, programming this show from the perspective of wanting to promote other western artists and the genre to help everyone get more visibility and reach!  I focus mostly on current releases (release date in this year or last year) but also want to dip back into your catalog of previously released works so that good releases from the past don't just arc and get forgotten.  


How can you help/participate?

1. Do everything above on the list for "listeners" to do.  Don't be shy about sharing links to a show and asking people to sign up for a newsletter that promotes your work and the work of your colleagues in the genre.  (If even the thought of that hyperventilates you (ha ha) it's ok - start small with your spouse, adult children, closest friends, and relatives.  On the other hand, if you are great at self-promotion, get your whole fanbase on board. Let's all help each other! 


​2.  Be active in sending me your music, poetry, gig schedules, merch, and exclusive content per the guidelines below. The more you stay in contact with me, the more I will have your work forefront in my mind when deciding what to put on each show.  

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About this show:

Western music and poetry does not have large charts like Billboard to dictate which songs or poems DJ's will repeatedly play to drive them up the rankings and gain fan popularity, which also results in increased popularity for the artist, driving more sales, more "butts in the seat" at live shows, more/better gig opportunities, and more chances for award nominations.  However, I plan to format my show in an amended mainstream fashion by keeping my eyes and ears on the quarterly IWMA charts (and larger market charts that include artists the western genre), watching social media for current releases gaining traction, taking note of artists who perform regularly, looking at the playlists of other western DJ's, and gathering fan feedback on songs and poems I play via comments and posts on Mixcloud and my social media pages.   My hope is to help current songs and poems gain traction and popularity within the western fanbase, taking part in assisting artists to get all of the benefits listed in sentence 1 above.  In addition to programming current releases, a few slots will always be reserved for previous releases that are not in the current charting or award eligibility period but should be heard.  The latter is also a way to support performers who are active in the genre but may not have new music or poetry at the moment.  


Submitting:

Preferred: email aspen@aspenblackcowgirl.com with downloadable links to high quality, meta-tagged MP3 songs and poems.  Please include the following in the body of your email:

  • artist name
  • release date - month and year
  • current releases: songs or poems you want pushed as "singles" (can be individually released or identified on the track list of your album) in the order you want them focused on
  • older releases: notable songs or poems you want me to focus on

 

Not as preferred but will accept: CD's via postal mail. Use the address in the IWMA DJ listing or email me at aspen@aspenblackcowgirl.com to get it. Include the same info in the bullet points above plus your email address for contact purposes.


Merch & Newsletter Items:

I will be running monthly contests that will feature one song or poem from an artist and their merch. I will send you details on merch and newsletter submissions once I have listened to your work.


Follow Up:

If you have not heard back from me that I received your work, please follow up within a week of sending.  Sometimes things get lost or buried.  If I have not played your work within a month or two of receipt, and it is a CURRENT RELEASE, please follow up.  Do realize that limited song/poem slots on a one-hour show may make it competitive to get all the work on there I want to promote each week.  If your submission is an older release, please follow up if I have not acknowledged initial receipt of it, or if you have something noteworthy coming up, such as a tour or big performance somewhere.  Otherwise, older releases will be programmed as space and my choosing allows. 



Overall notes:

Yes, I will listen to your work. All submissions will be screened for quality and "fit" within the western genre and scope of this show.  I will automatically add every artist submitting to my email list for artists so I can send you updates on when your songs or poems will be, or have been, played as well as monthly reminders to send newsletter items.  I will not spam you or send anything that doesn't directly correlate with your business connection with Western Air Waves.


The initial plan for broadcast is one, one-hour show per week, starting in January of 2025.  It will be broadcast via Mixcloud and available on demand. Future possibilities include an iteration of the show on terrestrial radio in Roanoke, VA , additional or longer weekly shows, or other opportunities to grow as they come along. 


Submission of work is not a guarantee of airplay. Following the guidelines above, sending me newsletter items, listening to my shows, being engaged with me on social media, and reminding me about your songs and poems ever so often can help keep your work fresh in my mind.  Overall, if your work meets or exceeds my baseline for broadcast quality, fits the genre (in my opinion), is on (or in my opinion should be on) the IWMA charts and/or making a splash elsewhere, supports your touring or local western performing, and/or appears to be interesting to me and my listeners I want to program it! 








FANS AND ARTISTS: HOW CAN YOU HELP?

JOIN THE WESTERN AIR WAVES CLUB!

New radio show debuting January 2025, featuring western music, western swing, and cowboy/western poetry. 

About the show:

Western Air Waves officially launches in January of 2025, featuring current releases of western/cowboy music, cowboy country music, western swing, cowboy poetry, and western poetry alongside a few notable older releases.  



NATIONALLY TOURING SINGER/SONGWRITER & EDU-TAINER 

Sign up on the form below to get an email link to every new show.  Once a month, you will also get a newsletter with participating performing artists live gig schedules all over the US and exclusive behind the scenes photos and stories from your favorite western hit-makers!  I promise to not fill your inbox with unwanted marketing or junk! 





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NEXT STEPS:

1. Like and follow these pages on social media: 


2. Starting in January, new shows will become available on Mixcloud. Share the Mixcloud link on your social media pages.  Ask your friends, family, fans, and subscribers to like, follow, and share Western Air Waves pages, posts, and shows to their networks of friends and family.  This is one big, yet organic, way we can help each other to spread the reach of western music and poetry to more people around the world!


4. Interact on Mixcloud and Facebook by posting comments about songs, poems, and shows. Example - maybe you are a Doug Figgs fan - help him gain more attention for his work by posting "That new Doug Figgs song (name of song) is great!"  Do the same for other artists you hear on the show that turn your head or bring a tear with their songs or poems. 


 5. There will be monthly contests with giveaways from featured performers. Fans, WE NEED YOU to participate!  Listen on demand any time during the contest week and email your entry (it will be a response to a western-themed question asked on the show) to aspen@aspenblackcowgirl.com before the deadline. Winners will be drawn from correct entries, announced on the next show, and you will receive your prize in the mail.  It's that's simple!

LISTEN HERE:

ARTISTS:

Aspen Black

ARTIST SUBMISSIONS: