Radio briefs: New B98.5 night jock, Star 94 Jingle Jam, Kevin Avery

By RODNEY HO/ rho@ajc.com, originally filed Thursday, November 12, 2015

Star 94's Jingle Jam this year will feature three modest-sized pop acts: acapella group Pentatonix, pop singer Andy Grammer and rock group NeedtoBreathe.

It will be held this year on December and for the first time at the Fox Theatre. For bigger shows in the past, Star has hosted its Jingle Jam at Gwinnett Arena (now Infinite Energy). Tickets are $30.50 to $80.50. The show is selling really well.

• Andy Grammer, who competed this season on "Dancing With the Stars," recently had a big hit with the amiable "Honey, I'm Good."  He joined Jingle Jam in 2012.
• Pentatonix. This "Sing Off" winning acapella group has more than 9 million followers on YouTube mostly with covers and recently even released a top 30 Hot AC single "Can't Sleep Love." They opened for Kelly Clarkson in September at Aaron's Amphitheatre.
• NeedtoBreathe. This rock band broke in on the Christian charts in 2006 and has a single out now "Brother," which features past Jingle Jam participant Gavin DeGraw.

Here are the Jingle Jam lineups over the years:

2003’s lineup: Maroon 5, Sarah McLachlan, Jessica Simpson and Barenaked Ladies.

2004: Duran Duran

2005: Jason Mraz, Switchfoot, Gavin DeGraw, Howie Day and James Blunt.

2006: Hinder, the Fray, K.T. Tunstall, Goo Goo Dolls

2007: Elliott Yamin, Colbie Caillat, Jonas Brothers, Avril Lavigne

2008: We the Kings, Flyleaf, David Archuleta, Colbie Caillat, Gavin DeGraw

2009: Justin Bieber, Owl City, Cobra Starship, Jordin Sparks, The Fray

2010: Train, Plain White T’s, Christina Perri

2011: Daughtry, the Script, Big Time Rush, Matt Nathanson, Parachute

2012: Ed Sheeran, Jason Mraz, Phillip Phillips, Andy Grammer, Alex Clare, Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

2013: the Backstreet Boys, the Fray, Avril Lavigne and Colbie Caillat (Gwinnett Arena)

2014: The Script, Lindsey Sterling, Echokids (Center Stage)

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Kara Leigh joins B98.5 as the new night jock starting November 23, 2015. CREDIT: B98.5

B98.5 has hired a new night-time jock Kara Leigh to replace Tripp West, who is now the new mid-day host. (West replaced Jordan Graye, who chose to leave in August.). She starts November 23.

"Kara previously did mid-days at 95.5 The Beat from 2007 to 2010," said Chris Eagan, CMG Atlanta's Director of Branding and Programming for B98.5 and The River 97.1 FM, in a press release, referencing the hip-hop leaning top 40 station that was around from 1999 to 2010.  "It's great to have her back on the air full-time entertaining Atlanta."

Leigh is an Atlanta native and started her career with Cox Media Group as an intern. She has had many duties for the local radio group going back to 2004 and had been already doing on-air work for B98.5 since 2012.

NOTE: B98.5 and The Atlanta Journal-Constitution are both part of Cox Media Group.

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Fish 104.7's Kevin Avery raised more than $24,000 riding 100 miles on a bike last month at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. The entire fundraiser brought in $260,000 for Food for the Poor, which helps feed the hungry in 17 Latin American countries and the Caribbean. 

The morning hosts have been supporting this charity since they joined the station in 2000, with a particular focus on Guatemala and Haiti.