Country VP Charlie Cook Sets Final Day At Cumulus Media

Longtime Country radio programmer Charlie Cook is stepping down from his roles as Cumulus VP of Country Music, Programming Operations Manager for Cumulus Nashville, and Program Director for 95.5 Nash Icon (WSM-FM) and 103.3 Country (WKDF). His final day is set for May 31.

In a memo to staff, Cook revealed he told Cumulus management of his plans to relinquish his duties after one year in April 2023. He says he is leaving to seek a new challenge. His last contract renewal was in February 2022.

Cook’s career in radio began in Michigan in 1972 and has taken him all over the US. He served as McVay Media SVP of Country Programming in the 1980s and 1990s, before moving to Westwood One as Vice President of Programming. Cook was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2011 and was honored next to Bill Mayne with last year’s ACM Service Award.

Cumulus has begun a job search for Cook’s successor, with a job posting for a Music & Brand Content Manager position in Nashville.

In a memo to staff, Cook said, “It’s time for me to move away from an experience that I have loved for something new and different. Thanking everyone inside Cumulus and in Nashville would fill these pages so I look forward to personally thanking everyone over the next few months.”

Cumulus Nashville Market Manager Allison Warren shared, “Charlie has been a vital part of the Cumulus, and specifically the WKDF/WSM-FM, families for the past nine years. He has helped shape and drive the format of both 103.3 Country and 95.5 Nash Icon, bringing joy and entertainment to countless listeners. He is not only a talented professional, but also a loyal friend and a passionate music lover. We cannot thank him enough for his years of service, dedication and creativity. We wish him the very best in whatever adventures are ahead. He will be greatly missed, but never forgotten.”