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10 Questions with ... Jen Mouttet
July 22, 2019
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. My biggest frustration is the fear of poor research. There is an undercurrent of constant risk-assessment for Program Directors that makes it difficult to talk about any music that isn't straight down-the-middle safe AC. PDs are hindered from using their gut because in about 200 spins, research will be their judge and jury. Testing is a valuable tool and, believe me, I love it when it helps us break a song; but getting PDs to "take a chance" on anyone but legacy artists is the toughest aspect of our job
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1. Can you take us through your music career journey that's brought you to where you are currently, running your own radio promotion company?
My parents joke that my very first label event was a Maranatha Music picnic when I was two years old. My dad was in a couple of early Jesus Movement bands and was a producer on the first several Maranatha Music albums. But the big moment in my life that turned me toward the music business was when I discovered Belmont University.
I spent my freshman year at the University of Colorado as a business major getting lost among 8,000 other freshman seeking a BBA. That winter, my dad's good friend Ricky Scaggs was in Denver doing a show and invited me to spend my spring break visiting him and his wife Sharon to tour Belmont. Belmont University became home the following fall, where I interned and later worked for Starsong Records in the Sales department under Rich Peluso.
I vividly remember the entire staff watching the finished Newsboys video for Shine, the one where Peter Furler runs around in a silver suit with a hamster, like it was yesterday.
I took a small hiatus from the music business to work for The Governor of Colorado's office as a project and event manager. It was an incredible and fascinating job, but had term limits. I ended up back in the music industry in 2008 when I was asked to work radio for Tooth & Nail Records (thank you, Brandon Ebel). I was hired as an Indie promoter to work exclusively for T&N and fell in love with radio promotion.
2. How did radio promotion become a part of your music industry career endeavor? Or was it part of the plan from the beginning?
The opportunity to work for Tooth & Nail was a result of my close relationship with their Director of National Promotions at the time, Allison Stipe. She was working hit songs from Jeremy Camp and Kutless and trying to break new artists as the sole voice on the phones to radio. The not-so-secret, secret is that Allison is my younger sister. She also went to Belmont, majored in Music Business, and eventually worked radio for Squint Records, then Tooth and Nail. She called me and said she needed another voice on the phones to radio, someone who could develop those relationships, loves music, understands the business and who would make their songs a priority.
3. What music did you grow up listening to? Was CCM part of your formative years at all?
CCM was a major part of my early years. I remember being in the studio with my dad at the Caribou Ranch studio here in Colorado when he was producing the Sweet Comfort Band, Evie and multiple other Maranatha records. I wore out my Fischer-Price record player with every one of Maranatha's Psalty the Singing Songbook albums and Bullfrogs and Butterflies. Other than that, I listened to mainstream radio. I have nostalgic memories of my parents' favorite music: James Taylor, The Eagles, Huey Lewis and the News, Lionel Richie. I still love that music. Once I could choose on my own, I became an 80s and 90s Top 40 junkie: Prince, Michael Jackson, all the boy bands and a lot of Def Leppard and Van Halen thrown in.
4. Is there anything else you could see yourself doing for a living if it wasn't radio promo?
I have an aesthetic, creative side that I love to use. Visual design of some kind. Event design, interior design or graphic design.
5. What's the biggest pay off of radio promo? What do you experience is the greatest challenge/frustration?
There is nothing more fun or professionally-rewarding than to be a part of an unexpected hit song. In our format, we have the unique distinction of having our "smash hits" change hearts and lives. Pretty incredible. It's pretty great to be a small cog in the wheel that contributes to that kind of impact.
My biggest frustration is the fear of poor research. There is an undercurrent of constant risk-assessment for Program Directors that makes it difficult to talk about any music that isn't straight down-the-middle safe AC. PDs are hindered from using their gut because in about 200 spins, research will be their judge and jury. Testing is a valuable tool and, believe me, I love it when it helps us break a song; but getting PDs to "take a chance" on anyone but legacy artists is the toughest aspect of our job.
With that said, there are programmers who use research as a tool, balanced with a willingness to take the lead on "risky" new artists, females or fun pop songs they believe will add something special to their playlist. Those are the best calls to make because there is openness and partnership.
6. What do you perceive is the biggest misconception about your job?
People outside of the industry generally think radio promotion sounds cool and glamorous. While I do love what I do, it's because of the music and the relationships but it's not really glamorous. Cheers to 5 a.m. lobby calls and driving around Texas in a Toyota Camry!
7. You've spent a lot of time on the road with artists. Do any of promo trip stories particularly stand out to you as most memorable?
Oh boy. MOST memorable huh? I have an artist meltdown story that devolved into bolting from a car, punching a Jacksonville Beach boardwalk railing and sobbing on the beach. Chris Hauser describes it as the worst promo visit he's ever heard of. Let that sink in for a minute. Haha.
My favorite kind of memorable promo run is to take artists in for on-air interviews and watch the magic happen. I took Danny Gokey out last year, and every visit was full of new music, radio friends that I love and big, God stories. It's really fun to see our programmers on-air, doing their thing.
8. What are some of the campaigns you're most proud to have been a part of over the years?
Have you ever heard the quote, "The road to success and the road to failure are almost exactly the same"? We go after it the same way every week on every song, what happens after that is hard to predict but here goes.
I loved the early years of working Jeremy Camp singles with just two people on the phones and getting after it. Kutless' "What Faith Can Do," Phil Wickham's "This is Amazing Grace" and Big Daddy Weave's "Redeemed" were rewarding because the sheer magnitude and impact of those songs on the radio was unexpected. Every add was a big celebration.
This last year, Sanctus Real's "Confidence" was an against-all-odds independent release that involved the usual promo campaign by our team followed by the gift of incredible research. There is nothing more exciting than radio embracing a great single by a kind, humble and grateful band. While I'm talking grace and humility, We Are Messengers' "Maybe It's OK," and for King and Country's "Joy" and "God Only Knows" were both a privilege. Both bands are proactively kind and authentically grateful for every add and every spin that radio gives their songs. Those are the kind of artists that I'm proud to work for.
9. Who are some up-and-coming CCM artists that interest, excite and inspire you the most?
I love everything I hear from Apollo LTD. I really hope that they don't end up being too cool for our super-spiritual, Enneagram 1, P1 online music test takers. Is someone going to hate me if I say that?
10. When you're off the clock, what in your life matters the most to you?
I love being active and creating memories with family and friends. We love dancing, camping and hiking, making up silly songs, and spending time with friends.
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