10 Questions with ... Kory Henkel

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

While some people land jobs in the music industry through some type of Nashville-area university music business degree, Kory Henkel took the road much-less-traveled to get there: youth ministry. It all makes sense once he explains it. The light-hearted and ever-pleasant Minnesota native takes a moment here to dive into a little of his personal history and his not-so-hidden talents.

1. Your story that led you to a gig in the music industry is a bit unorthodox. Can you explain the journey that got you here?

I was a youth minister at a big church in Bloomington, MN for eight years. I brought in a Jason Gray show back in 2007, which happened to be during street week for his first album on Centricity. Because of that, some early Centricity people came along and I got to know them. Then, every time a Centricity artist was coming through town, they'd give me a call and we'd hang out. Eventually, when I knew it was time to move on from youth ministry, I asked the label if I moved to Nashville, would it be possible to "intern" there while I gained experience in the industry. Jeff Berry was running the management arm of Centricity and was kind enough to let me intern for his team, and the rest is history! After six months of interning and taking day-rate gigs, I was hired at Capitol Distribution. Two and-a-half years in, they decided to consolidate departments and I was not part of the realignment. Once Centricity heard I was available, they quickly decided to bring me on full-time under the tutelage of the great Kris Love. It has been a fun and wild ride. I can't talk about my journey to the music industry without stating that I owe Jeff Berry an eternal debt of gratitude. He believed in me and gave me a chance. I would have never made it in Nashville if it wasn't for him.

2. Was there any part of your youth ministry gig that you feel sort of equipped you for not only thriving, but enjoying radio promo and all that the job entails?

I tell ya, youth ministry prepares you for everything. Knowing how to make an impact on a budget, smiling through adversity, selling an idea, and dealing with children who have specific dietary needs are all skills that I use regularly in the music biz. Also, emails from management have nothing on angry parents.

3. Did you listen to the radio much growing up? If so, what were your go-to formats and in what "life eras" did you listen to them? Has radio historically been an important part of your life?

I was a radio junkie growing up for sure! KTIS was my local station and we listened (and donated) as a family all the time. When I was in high school, any time my dad would drive my car, he'd set all my presets to 98.5 (KTIS). We went to concerts (Fernando Ortega, Phil Keaggy, and Michael Card multiple times) and would hang out at their booth at the state fair for hours at a time. I was at a CMB event last year and Dave Clutter asked a question across the room. I instantly recognized his voice. I ran over to him and yelled, "You're Dave Clutter! I know your voice! I'm so glad to meet you!" He was very confused, but very kind. It was a legit fanboy experience.

When I was a kid, I won a call-in contest at the local Radio Disney (AM1080) and we got to tour the station. I loved every second of it. I can still remember the tape room floor-to-ceiling with singles and they let me choose my favorite song and load the cart into the deck. It was the best day ever.

My dad had a box of classic radio shows on cassette (like The Shadow, Abbot and Costello, and Amos 'n Andy) and I would fall asleep listening to them all the time. I still listen to old episodes of A Prairie Home Companion regularly. All of that to say, I love radio and it has made a lasting impact on my life.

4. You have some extensive history as a music performer-could you share about that side of you and the context in which that's played a role in your life?

I have been a choir nerd my whole life. I sang in my high school's traveling choir, picked my college for the choir (like non-nerds choose schools for sports, I chose for the choir), I sang in China with the Beijing International Festival Chorus, and now I sing with the Nashville Symphony Chorus. We recently had a recording release (John Haribson's Requiem on Naxos Records - get it today!), which has a decent chance of being Grammy-nominated, so that's really exciting. I'm not a soloist at all, I just love being a part of an ensemble, and the Nashville Symphony Chorus is one of the finest in the country. It's a tremendous honor.

5. Being completely new to the music industry when you began at CCMG in 2014, what was instantly your favorite part of the job? On a related note, what did you realize was a misconception you'd had about the job or the industry soon after you started?

Beginning my career at CCMG was amazing! To see all my favorite records hanging on the wall and to regularly interact with the people behind the music that changed my life growing up was surreal.

Nothing really stands out when it comes to misconceptions. I was just so excited and grateful to be working records that I loved.

6. You've obviously done a fair share of radio promo trips at this point. What are some of your most memorable moments on the road so far-both good and not-so-good?

I got stuck in a nor'easter this past March with For All Seasons. Thankfully, we were stuck in New York City, three blocks from Times Square. It snowed something like 13 inches in Manhattan, so the whole city was shut down. It was fun to explore while it was gently snowing all day. I went to a Broadway show (SpongeBob...SO GOOD!). It was the best snow day ever! But really, every promo trip I've been on has been great. I mean, we get to hang out with good folks and (ideally) eat delicious food while talking about fantastic music. What's not to love about that? Side note: I will gladly take anyone and everyone to see Corey Mann in South Bend as long as we can eat at Yesterday's. He's the finest of company, the food is tremendous, and the desserts are absolutely insane.

7. Centricity has released some very big singles over the past couple of years. Which ones have impacted you most deeply, from a personal level?

Oh man, this is hard. Singles that reached me personally - "Just Give Me Jesus" from Unspoken, Jordan Feliz's "Beloved," North Point InsideOut's "Death Was Arrested," Lauren Daigle's "Trust In You" are all up there. But, it's the non-singles that usually make their way into my personal playlists; like, Jason Gray's "Not Right Now" might be one of the best songs every written. North Point's "Enough For Me," Carrollton's "Death Has Lost Its Way," Lauren's "Power to Redeem," and "Is He Worthy" by Andrew Peterson are all can't-miss favorites of mine (amongst others). Also, anything Peabod does makes me very, very happy.

8. Going back to your own singing talent for a moment, surely you've considered who you'd like to duet with? Anyone on Centricity that you'd like to see as the second half of your vocal duo?

Nah, my voice is best-suited for the shower, but I would gladly interpretive dance with any of our artists. Just say the word. I could see myself being a hypeman for Peabod-you know, wave a towel and chime in on the last word of each sentence. I think I could nail that. Or, I would love the opportunity to dance on stage wearing a giant panda head with Rend Collective. That might be my true calling.

9. Last year, the Centricity radio team revealed The Centricigents over the Holidays, via company Christmas card. There's no information about this vocal group on Wikipedia yet, so would you mind sharing some back story to the formation of and personalities within this quartet?

Thanks for reminding me-I need to create the Wikipedia page. We got so busy with all the press requests and touring, I just haven't had time. I'll refer you here for the history. We are currently preparing our latest Christmas release. I think radio folks will be very happy to see this year's offering in their mailboxes soon. The bottom line is, you don't choose the Centricigent life, the Centricigent life chooses you.

10. This past summer, you documented via social media some of your bucketlist pursuit, as it pertains to Major League Baseball stadiums. What's the story there and when do you expect to check that item off the list completely?

I love baseball. There is so much strategy and so many chess moves throughout a game, it really is the greatest way to spend three hours. One of the best things about baseball fields is that there are parameters for dimensions, but no required uniformity, so every ballpark is different. They also have different food and fan experiences. I recommend everyone going to all 30 parks to see how different the game is from place to place.

My favorite (so far) is Safeco Field in Seattle. The food is great and there's not a bad seat in the house. Plus, the people are fun and the atmosphere is second to none. It's an outstanding place to watch a game.

I have four parks left-all in California. My last trip is planned for next summer-starting in San Diego and ending in San Francisco. I've heard San Fran is the best park in the MLB, so it will be a great place to end the 10-year-long quest to see a game (and eat at least one hot dog) in each ballpark.