American Country Countdown
| Genre | Music chart show |
|---|---|
| Running time | Approx. 3 hrs. and 55 mins. (including commercials) |
| Country | United States |
| Language(s) | English |
| Hosted by |
Don Bowman (1973–1978) Bob Kingsley (1978–2005) Kix Brooks (2006–present) |
| Created by | Casey Kasem, Don Bustany and Tom Rounds |
| Air dates | since October 6, 1973 |
| No. of episodes | Approximately 2,150 (to date) |
| Audio format | Stereophonic sound |
| Website | Official Website |
American Country Countdown, also known as ACC or American Country Countdown with Bob Kingsley, is an internationally syndicated radio program which counts down the top 40 country songs of the previous week, from No. 40 to No. 1, according to the Mediabase country chart. Begun in 1973, the show was originally hosted by comedian Don Bowman until 1978, when Bob Kingsley succeeded him as host. After Kingsley left in 2006 to host his own show, Kix Brooks succeeded him in January 2006.
Based on the success of American Top 40, Casey Kasem and Don Bustany, together with Tom Rounds of Watermark, created a country version of the top 40 program called American Country Countdown. The weekly, three-hour program premiered the weekend of October 6, 1973; was produced by Bustany; and hosted by comedian Don Bowman. The Billboard Hot Country Singles chart was the official chart for this show until August 2009, when ACC began using the Mediabase country chart as its source.
In the spring of 1974 when the show was up and running, Bustany tapped Bob Kingsley, who had been program director at country station KLAC-Los Angeles, to be ACC's producer. Kingsley molded the fledgling program, then heard on 95 stations, into a major success. Kingsley abruptly replaced Bowman starting with the May 6, 1978 program, mentioning only on his first show as permanent host that Bowman had left the program to pursue other aspects of his career.
Beginning with the January 11, 1986, broadcast, ACC expanded to four hours, adding several new features, including an "ACC Archives" feature (similar to one featured on American Top 40 several years earlier, with a chronological playback of No. 1 hits of the 1970s, and later on the 1980s) and an "ACC Calendar," spotlighting a classic country artist, song, important innovation or event in country music.
Kingsley hosted the program until December 2005, when Kingsley started a competing radio show, Bob Kingsley's Country Top 40.
...
Wikipedia