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10 Questions with ... James Riley
September 12, 2006
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NAME:James RileyTITLE:Director of National PromotionsCOMPANY:Word EntertainmentFORMATS:ChristianLOCATION:Nashville, TNBORN:Louisville, KYRAISED:Louisville, KY
Brief Career Synopsis:
I graduated from Georgetown College in Georgetown, KY, in the spring of 1993 and came to Nashville that fall. I've been doing radio promotions ever since starting at Reunion Records and now back at Word (second time here) with many labels in between.
1) What made you want to get into the music business? Who were your mentors?
I majored in Communication Arts with a broadcasting emphasis and had friends in the industry that I talked to regularly. I did a small Christian college show back then. Tony Shore, Chris Hauser and Grant Hubbard are mentors from my early days here in town. Steve Ford at Centricity has always been a good friend and just a great marketing mind. We've worked together at three different labels so it helps to be nice to everyone.
2) What do you think is the most important topic facing the music business and radio right now and why?
I think technology is really changing the way we do business. In many ways we are a "single" driven society now with the instant gratification of downloading a song. These advances kind of take us back to the way things were done in the '50s where labels just made singles. I think stations continually try to figure out how to market to an iPod generation.
3) What do you do to inspire your staff for success in the field on a daily basis with the amount of material that recording companies are releasing in today's market place?
Years ago when songs had a 12-week lifecycle, it was so important that everything moved up and down the charts quickly. Everything had to go No. 1. Now, we really take our time and try to grow the song and the artist and take it slower. It's so hard to even get airplay that we rejoice with any and all airplay we get. We try not to let the pressure of getting a "No. 1" take over.
4) In our highly competitive music field, where it seems more and more that every artist needs something special to get paid attention too, how do you position yourself and your label to get your artists the shot they need?
It really does come down to the song. We used to be able to get airplay based on how cool the packaging was or if we brought the artist to the station, etc. We have to really do our homework to know what radio is looking for, as well as paying attention to what is going on nationally. We have to have a long-term goal with an artist and work for that goal. It might take a couple of years to break, but we can't be discouraged if it doesn't happen immediately. Set a goal and work towards it knowing it isn't usually an overnight thing.
5) What are the most important tools/resources you use to stay on top of the formats growth and daily changes?
Communication is absolutely the key. We have to stay in contact with stations, read the trades and stay on top of what is happening nationally. I can't believe I get paid to listen to music and to the radio!
6) What do you like best about your job? And the least?
I love the relationships. There are people out there that I've been friends with for a long time and I love seeing us all step into a new era of the music industry together. I think the thing I like the least is when something doesn't work for whatever reason for an artist. We sometimes forget that this is their life. Sometimes what hits and what doesn't just doesn't make sense but we really don't have control over that.
7) If you could have any job outside the music business, what would it be?
I would love to write for a sketch comedy show. People here in the office are probably tired of the silly one-liners I try to come up with so it would be fun to actually get paid to do that.
8) What's your best advice for younger, less experienced music promoters?
Listen to radio! You need to understand all aspects of what they go through and what they are trying to do. Then you can speak to them as a peer. Go spend time at a station and see first hand what a day in the life of a programmer looks like.
9) What is the most precious memory of your life so far?
This would have to be the birth of my son Connor. Just seeing the way he looked at me after he was born is something I'll never forget.
10) If you could ask God about anything, what would it be?
I'd probably just try to get a handle on war, death, etc. I'd also see if he'd let me chat with my dad one more time before I got to heaven as well.
Bonus Questions
1) What is your favorite reading material?
I love "Entertainment Weekly" as well as looking online at the "Chicago Tribune" for Chicago Bulls-related stories.
2 ) What's in your CD player right now?
Bob Dylan - Modern Times, Wolfmother, Jars Of Clay - Good Monsters, Stellar Kart - We Can't Stand Sitting Down
3) Do you have musical guilty pleasures?
I'm a sucker for old ZZ Top and that Texas blues sound.
4) Cat or dog person?
I grew up a dog person but my fiance has two cats that I've grown to love.
5) What's your favorite meal?
I love hamburgers. I'm a happy camper when I can have one.
6) What's your favorite TV program of all-time?
I love the writing on "King of Queens." "Seinfeld" is probably my all-time favorite but "King of Queens" is definitely my favorite in recent years.
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