While Kix Brooks is vacationing halfway across the world, the superstar asked his friends from Little Big Town—Karen Fairchild, Jimi Westbrook, Kimberly Schlapman and Phillip Sweet—to cover for him as host of American Country Countdown this upcoming weekend (Feb. 10-12). The Grammy-winning quartet was more than happy to oblige.
“This is the way that people keep up with the music they love the most and where it is on the charts,” Jimi tells Nash Country Daily. “It’s so exciting. It’s exciting on both sides—for the fans that are listening for their favorite songs and see where it is on the countdown and for us, as artists, to go ‘Hey look, we’re there, we’re actually on the Countdown.”
American Country Countdown is a syndicated radio show hosted by Kix Brooks that counts down country’s biggest hits each week based on the official Mediabase country music chart.
While Jimi, Karen, Kimberly and Phillip made themselves comfortable in Kix’s studio, they each took turns hosting one hour of the four-hour program. Jimi will kick off the first hour, Kimberly hosts the second hour, Phillip will be the voice of the third hour and Karen will close out the show in the final hour, getting the honor of revealing the No. 1 song in the land and announcing LBT’s current single, “Better Man,” in the No. 4 spot on the chart.
“It was amazing. It was a lot of fun,” Jimi added about his American Country Countdown hosting experience. “It’s a little outside of what we’re used to doing. Kix actually does work [laughing]. It’s so cool. This is one of those things that you don’t think about getting the chance to do, but when you do, you’re like ‘Wow, I can’t believe I’m getting to do this.’ We’re so grateful to be doing what we’re doing and to get to host the show and announce our own songs, are you kidding me? That’s amazing.”
To catch LBT take over hosting duties of American Country Countdown, check your local schedule for airdate and time in your area.
