Weather Channel CD Surprises Listeners

November 28, 2007 4:33 p.m. EST

Topics: Music
Nashville, TN (CNS) - People don't usually tune into the Weather Channel to fulfill their music needs, but all that might soon change seeing that the "The Weather Channel Presents: The Best of Smooth Jazz" is holding steady at No. 2 on Billboard magazine's contemporary jazz chart.

The 12 songs on the CD are all featured on the "Local on the 8's" segment, and includes jazz artists like Chick Corea, Jeff Lorber, Dave Koz and Najee.

The Weather Channel has played music during its broadcast for the 25 years it has been on the air, and has even hired an employee they call the "Music Man" to find the right tracks to accompany the forecast.

Steve Hurst is the man behind the music selection and he receives about 0 unsolicited music previews a month from artists looking to be spotlighted on the program.

Three tracks on the new Weather Channel CD -- Mark Krumowski's "Wait a Minute," Ryan Farish's "Holding Hands" and Jeanne Ricks' "Simple Pleasure" -- were recorded exclusively for the Weather Channel, while the others were previously released.

"We tested some vocals, but the consumers didn't like it," says Shari Pace, vice president of licensing for the Weather Channel. "When I travel to a different city and have the Weather Channel on, the music is comforting to me. I like the calmness of it. When there are vocals with it, it changes."

The CD, which was released in October on Nashville-based Midas Records, is available online and at Barnes & Noble bookstores.