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10 Questions with ... Donna Hughes
December 11, 2016
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Donna Hughes began her illustrious career at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), where she studied Broadcast Production. While there, Hughes got her start in television with an internship at WSMV-TV (Channel 4)/Nashville on the Magazine Show. Hughes then worked at Jim Owens & Associates (JOA) production company, which included the TNN (The Nashville Network) shows - "Crook & Chase," "This Week In Country Music," "Celebrities Offstage," and "Funny Business with Charlie Chase." While she listened to various types of music, including Country, it was at JOA that she became much more passionate about Country music. She dabbled in local radio as well as syndicated radio, with over 11 years under her belt at Premiere Networks (formerly MJI) as well as time at GAC. Hughes went on to create her own company, where she did freelance work coming up with content for labels, writing for different publications and producing radio specials, among other things. She then made the move to Capitol-EMI, which then merged with UMG Nashville, where she currently serves as the National Dir./Radio Syndication. Hughes recently sat down with All Access to break down exactly what she does; how her experiences in television, radio, and freelancing have helped her to be successful in her current role; and what she thinks young people eager to succeed in the industry can do.
1. Hi, Donna! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us today! You are the National Dir./Radio Syndication for UMG Nashville - which includes Capitol, EMI, MCA, and Mercury. Can you break down for us exactly what you do?
Well, it's a hodgepodge of stuff. I deal with syndicated radio in different forms. I book interviews with our artists with different national shows. I schedule media days with them where we hit the syndicated shows, the preps, and everything in between that we can possibly book - even blogs and some of the digital components as well, because that's a big part of it, too. I provide content to radio and to blogs with our prep site at pressroom.umgnashville.com; I post audio, video clips, press releases - everything that they can imagine! I book, produce, and coordinate satellite tours with radio morning shows and sometimes afternoon shows. I also write and produce radio specials for holidays. We just did a Black Friday one with Dierks Bentley, and then we'll have a multi-artist Christmas show with the effervescent Lauren Alaina hosting, as well as a New Year's Day special hosted by Brothers Osborne - which was hysterical! I want them to do more and more of that kind of stuff! I also coordinate ideas with Marketing, Digital, and Publicity for album releases, and of course with Promotion for single releases and anything that relates to radio content. I conduct interviews with our artists for content purposes, as well. There are so many other things that fall under the umbrella, and I will say yes to anything I can do!
How much creative input do you have?
One hundred percent. It's a collaborative effort at times with the artists. If there's something I try, sometimes there isn't enough time to really read back over it and say, "Okay, they wouldn't say that." But I try to write in the way that they would or might speak. I tell them, "Go ahead and adlib as much as you want to." Some do, and some don't. It just depends. Sometimes it's my-speak coming through. There are two phrases in the one I wrote for Brothers Osborne that I almost peed my pants we were laughing so hard. John was like, "I would never, ever say this!" and so we kept saying the same words over and over again. It was so funny.
2. In my opinion, you and the teams you work with make great artists into superstars. What is your formula?
We try to get them as much exposure as possible. With what I do in conjunction with Publicity, Digital, Marketing, Promotion - we try to have our little piece that we contribute. It's a team collaborative effort - let me reiterate that! The reach of syndicated radio, the reach of radio, the reach of digital platforms, and the reach of TV and print - and we're all working together - that creates that superstar. The more people that are talking about someone, the more that they are going to be discovered by fans, who will then download music, purchase music, stream music, and go and invest in this artist. As you know, in Country music, once fans have invested themselves and their time and money into an artist - that is forever. They want to download as much information about this artist as possible: what their dogs' names are, what type of cereal they eat, what is their routine when they get up in the morning, what do they do for fun, how can I connect with this artist? I am a fan, as well. I want to download as much information about my artists as possible and assist the other departments as much as I can.
When you're making an artist three-dimensional, is there a set strategy? Or is it totally different and customized for each artist?
It's totally different for each artist. There is so much that I don't know in the different departments that I need to know to work better with them and with the artists. No one artist is the same - especially here at UMG. Everybody has their own path, and everybody is different. It is so diverse in the music and the presentation and everything. That is one of the things that I have told [UMG Nashville Chairman/CEO] Mike Dungan and [UMG Nashville President] Cindy Mabe on numerous occasions, just how cool that is! I have told people outside of our company, it's one of the coolest things about UMG. You won't find a copycat of any other artist. No matter what works, we don't have another Sam Hunt or Alan Jackson or Chris Stapleton or Kacey Musgraves or Little Big Town or Keith Urban or Lady Antebellum or Darius Rucker or Clare Dunn or Brothers Osborne. They're all different, and they bring so much to the table and so much to the fans, as well!
3. I jokingly told you that you're THE coolest person in this industry, but I'm actually serious. You've worked in television and radio, you even started your own company, and now you're at a label, of course. Going back to your education, you studied Broadcast Production in addition to English and Psychology at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). How does all of this diverse yet connected experience help you in your current role?
A lot of my classes were Creating Writing. Someday I would love to write Fiction - that may be a long way off, but I have different ideas for children's books and things like that. I've never really spoken that out loud! Someday, when I have the time, I want to sit down and write. I think that, of course, you being an English major, you know how important writing is to our industry. I never considered myself a journalist - I was just part of the media. Journalists to me are your Robert K. Oermanns and Diane Sawyers. And Barbara Walters - who is still an idol of mine, and will be, just because of everything she has done. But Psychology is about people, and I think that I've always been sensitive to other people and their moods and how they may react or how they may think of something. That has always been so fascinating to me. If there is time, maybe I'll go back and get another degree in Psychology, because I think that would be so beneficial. All I do is deal with people. To me, an understanding of the psyche or somebody's personality is so hugely helpful. I think that MTSU has one of the best Mass Communications departments in the world, and that's what drew me in. I always wanted to be in some form of the entertainment business, be it TV, film, or something associated with those. I graduated from MTSU, but that last semester that I was there, I interned at WSMV-TV (Channel 4)/Nashville when they had the Magazine Show, which was called "Channel 4 Magazine."
4. Can you tell us about those early experiences?
Yes. Charlie Chase and Sharon Puckett were the hosts of that show. There was a host of characters on that show, as well, from whom I learned so much. It was a mix of entertainment, home, personality, decorating - all sorts of things were involved. I helped them, and I also helped news planning. I got an idea of what they looked for in a news story, and even some evergreen stories to go back and check in on a year later. It was fascinating. Donna Smith - now Donna Priesmeyer - was the producer of the show. She gave me a lot of duties that I took on. She and Charlie were probably my first two mentors in the actual business. Dr. Dennis O'Neal was my advisor at MTSU. I just loved him! He was such a smart man and taught us so much. I think you don't learn as much as you could until you intern. From there, I went to JOA and started working on "Crook & Chase," the TV show, when it was huge and when it was on TNN. So much of my first job in the industry was transcribing all of the interviews, shots, and everything that everybody said. There were so many fascinating interviews - with The Judds, Patty Loveless, Garth Brooks, Alan Jackson, and Clint Black, among others. I came in basically the class of '89, because I started in '88 in the business. But that class of '89 was Garth Brooks, Clint Black, Travis Tritt, Trisha Yearwood, Alan Jackson, and on and on. Those early '90s were amazing. And Lorianne [Crook] and Charlie [Chase] taught me everything you could want to know about an interview. One is: do you research. Two: know your artist. I wish I could teach some people how to do an interview. It's like Interviewing 101, because you can't ask some questions of one artist that you can of another. You have to know.
5. It sounds like you had a lot of fun and met some great people. Did you always intend to work in the Country music sphere of the entertainment industry, or did you sort of fall into it?
Television was where it was at, and there weren't a lot of outlets, unless I wanted to move to New York or Los Angeles. I wasn't ready to do that. A month before I graduated college, my mom died suddenly. I was pretty much all that my dad and my special needs sister had, so I wasn't going to leave them right away. There was a responsibility that I had for my family that I felt. It wasn't imposed on me by my father or anyone else; that was just ingrained. And if we're going to talk about mentors, my first two were my mom and dad. My mom was a stay-at-home mom, and then she started working part-time when I was in high school. The nurturing, the love, the support, and the work ethic - that's where I learned that. So New York and L.A. were the two places I could go to have the major network. What kept me here was the fact that this was the format I fell in love with and wanted to be in, and there was this absolutely wonderful outlet in TNN, which took this music to the masses, along with radio. There were so many things I didn't know that were involved in the music or entertainment business. Like syndicated radio - I had never heard of it. Now did I listen to Casey Kasem when I grew up? Yes. I knew he was a huge star. Our radio folks were huge stars. I never knew there were all these other things that went into it. So, television was my first love, and then Country music came and overtook that, basically. I learned so much in those early years. I eventually made my way up to Talent Coordinator for the show, and I booked the artists. I field produced, worked with reporters on the shows, and it was so much fun. I learned so much!
6. What was it about Country music that you fell in love with that made you decide to stay?
I always had a love of Country when I was a kid. Kenny Rogers was my first concert that my mom took me to, because she knew how much I loved him. I always wanted to sing Kim Carnes' part in "Don't Fall In Love With A Dreamer," and I used to do that with a hairbrush. I liked the Gatlin Brothers, Crystal Gayle, The Judds. My sister also played Country music all the time. It really spoke to her. She introduced me to Alabama, Charlie Daniels, and so on, when I was just a little girl. It started spiraling and snowballing, and I was like, okay this artist that I like was influenced by this artist, so let me go back and see if I can find anything else that I enjoy. Once I got the job at "Crook & Chase" in TV, that's where I fell deeply and irrevocably head over heels in love with this format. I have stayed in love with this format. Even though it has changed and swayed, that's the way it always is. Country music is the people's music, and for those that down whatever is on the radio now or back then, it's like, there have always been people that have been "the outlaws," or the poppy ones, or whatever it is. Well so what? It's the same. It's great music, and it's the lyrics that define the format. It's the people and the artists that define the format, as well. You can't come into this format and not be real and not be nice. You have to have specific qualities, I think, as well. But yes, Country music, I fell head over heels in love with it.
7. How did you make transitions from one level to another in your career? Throughout these different experiences and transitions, was it events or people that helped you realize those transitions? Is there anything or anyone who stands out in particular?
You never close a door or leave a door closed. You keep your mind open, because you don't know what's going to hit you in the face and say, "This is where you need to go next." Is it things that are dropped in my lap that I have followed? It turned out to be such a complete and wonderful experience, even if it just led to something else, as well. When I was at "Crook & Chase," my roommate was a singer-songwriter, and she had a friend - Shaye Smith - who worked at a radio station. It was a small mom and pop station - Rockin' Country 102.9 - and she was like, "I think you should try this. I think you'd be good," and I was like, "I don't know." She had faith in me that I did not, but I said I always kind of wanted to try. All of a sudden, a week later, the morning guy needed a co-host and news director, and they gave me his number; he was interested in meeting me. I called him, we talked for about an hour, and he said, "I'd hire you now, but I need to actually meet you in person." I got hired, and I was working both jobs until I left Jim Owens, and then I had to get a second job - because radio doesn't pay as much as it should. I was supplementing my income by taking odd jobs here and there. But I was playing radio, and I was having a great time. Then some changes happened, and Maurice Miner was working at MJI - a syndicated radio company later bought by Premiere - and I went to work with him. They were wonderful, and I learned about syndicated radio. I did interviews and went places and found this whole new world that I never knew existed. I still got to play radio every now and again, so it was fun. Maurice and Julie Talbott were big proponents, and I was there over 11 years. Then I talked to Suzanne Gordon, who was working at GAC [Great American Country], and they started this radio division, and I was hired to kind of oversee it. It was hard to leave Premiere, because they were like family. I booked "The Foxworthy Countdown" with Jeff Foxworthy; I booked interviews; I wrote, and I wrote, and I wrote - which is amazing - and I learned so much. But I needed a new direction. I learned what I wanted and what I didn't want. When that closed, I started freelancing and created my own company, and the day after I already had my first gig. I was calling people and asking people's advice. Paula Erickson was a huge help to me - she was a great person in the industry to kind of say what was out there and what is it that I need to do. I realized that "People Country" has four issues per year, but I bet they needed a radio special, so I sold them on the idea of radio specials. I was doing a lot of work for John Zarling at Big Machine Label Group, Bob Reeves and Gator Michaels when they were at Warner Bros., and a lot of freelance for Capitol-EMI. After a while, Steve Hodges called me up and said, "Would you want to come and work at a record label and work for me?" And I was like, let's talk. I went in and met with him and Mike Dungan and took a job at Capitol-EMI, and then we merged. I had known Cindy Mabe, and Lori [Christian] in Publicity, as well as [UMG Nashville SVP/Promotion] Royce [Risser], [MCA Nashville VP/Promotion] Katie Dean, and so many people I had already known from working with them on the outside. I have been so blessed to be able to work directly with them. I truly think our team is one of the best in the business. All of these parts go together, and there have been a lot of people that I have leaned on or asked questions or talked to. I know I'm forgetting so many people, too.
8. In 2006 you won the Media Achievement Award at the CMA Awards. That must have ranked high on your proudest moments. What was that experience like?
It was unbelievable and so overwhelming! I was on the red carpet at the CMA Awards - working - and I was with Premiere at the time. We were doing a live red carpet show, and we had the head of the CMA at the time, Tammy Genovese, come over and do an interview. I was trying to hand her the microphone and walk away, and she was like "No, don't go," and there was a photographer, to whom she said, "Get the award in." I had no idea; absolutely no clue! It was so overwhelming, because I didn't realize that the town's publicists vote on you and your name goes in, and it was - apparently - overwhelming. I don't know, I have no idea what I'm trying to say, but it was overwhelming to me that people thought that much of me to give me this award. I'm going to tear up and get emotional all over again. But to feel like I had even one iota of an effect or helped with this is so overwhelming to me. It's still a huge, huge thing, but my favorite moments are seeing people succeed. Artists getting their first #1, first award, crowds singing every word to every song... I don't have a huge part - it's an itty, bitty, teeny weeny part - but I love seeing people achieve their dreams.
Those moments definitely make it worth it. What would you say is the best part of your job? Or why do you love what you do?
The people! The people I work with, the people I represent, and the people I talk with! You, radio, interviewers, reporters, journalists, media folk, everybody! People are what drive me. Happiness of people is what drives me. If that's codependent, I don't know, but that is what drives me. I did a personality test, and it was like, Yyou're driven by people. And the reaction of people and the reaction of this," and I was like, "Uh huh, I knew that." So it's more about the happiness of others that I think - if I have a small little sliver in that, that makes someone happy or have a good day or a good year - if I helped to do that, then that's my job. That's what I feel like my job is mainly.
9. If you could go back and give career advice to your 24 year old self, what would you tell her?
I feel like I've probably taken my advice in certain ways, but there are certain things I probably didn't. Take a risk - do something out of the ordinary. I think I did that later in life. There are still times when I play it safe, but I wouldn't be at a great record label if I hadn't taken certain risks in my career. I could have stayed on the same path, but my tree has branches everywhere, and that's what I love! Don't be afraid to take a risk. If you feel like there's a job out there, you can even create it. I've done it, people I know have done it, and one of my mentors has done it. You can do it. If you think that you have this great idea and that it will turn into a career or something that you find fascinating and enjoyable, then do it! That would be my advice to myself.
10. What advice would you tell young people -millennials- who want to succeed in this industry?
The main thing is relationships, your reputation, respect for others, and work ethic. Reputation - if you have a good reputation outside and people want to work with you, then you will succeed and go far. Work ethic is so important - even people when I was growing and going through the ranks - it's not just millennials. I'm Generation X - every generation has those that feel entitled. That has no part in any success to me. Success is about failing and coming back from that failing. It's about working your ass off. When I went to school, I worked three to five part time jobs and took 16 to 18 hours of classes at school. You work your ass off. You don't get anything for nothing. But again, you have to be the first one to believe in yourself, and if you are, other people will. You work hard and go after what you want. You think, "Okay, where do I want to go next?" or "I have this great idea that would be great for this company. Let me see if I can't sell them that and do it." The worst they can do is say, "No." Then you go and try something else. You have to do it; nobody is going to do it for you. What I love is seeing you and your friends - all of our coordinators, and all of the folks especially in this building - that have created your own network. You will know each other and have relationships for your entire career. There are people that I started out with in this business that I didn't know at the time - they were at a different company, but we all started intersecting, and we were like, we need to form some kind of club or whatever. For the most part, we've remained in contact and rely on each other for support and advice and for friendship. I think the industry has changed a lot, but some of it has remained the same. Whether it's work related or fun related, this is going to be your network. I was talking to a few folks at WSIX/Nashville's "Light The Row Party" and said, "I just love how our young folks who have just started in this business are gravitating towards each other, relying on each other, and supporting each other. There's no cattiness and no crap. It's that they are each other's support system." I love that, and it's going to be so important. It sounds weird that I'm noticing that and commenting on it, but that is the most special thing that I think this generation of millennials is doing. There are a lot of crotchety older people that may say, "These young kids don't know anything," but I didn't when I was just starting out, and I was willing to learn. I was willing to pay my dues. That's another thing - I wasn't expecting to rise up after six months or a year like, "I should have this title," or "I should have this." No, you shouldn't. Work your ass off, and when it's time, it will happen. Until then, work hard. If somebody asks you to do something, say, "Okay, I'll do it." Do not say, "That's not my job." Ever. And keep your word. Be prepared. Be present. I think that's very important. But the main things are: relationships, respect, and work ethic.
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