10 Questions with ... Shawn Parr & Elaina Smith

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Facebook: www.Facebook.com/NASHNightsLive
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KickSomeNASH
Email: Shawn.Parr@Cumulus.com & Elaina.Smith@Cumulus.com

Shawn Parr and Elaina Smith have been the co-hosts for Cumulus Media's nationally syndicated "NASH Nights Live" since the show's inception in January 2014. Shawn is a longtime Country radio personality who spent year in Los Angeles on both KZLA and KKGO before making the move to Nashville. Elaina is an experienced radio host from the Hot AC and Top 40 world who made the leap to Country with the launch of "NASH Nights Live." The pair have a unique on-air chemistry and a stout social media presence which has led them to hosting red carpet and awards show coverage together during the four years they've been paired. This year, Elaina will join Shawn as the second voice for the "53rd Annual ACM Awards" in Las Vegas on Sunday, April 15th. Shawn has been the voice of the ACM Awards for over two decades; Elaina will be the first female voice featured alongside him. In the week leading up to Country's night to shine in Las Vegas, Shawn and Elaina sat down with All Access to discuss their individual career journeys, the path to national syndication, their content creation plans, and more.

1. Thank you both for taking the time to sit down with All Access as we lead up to a very busy week for you both - the ACM Awards! Before we talk about this new adventure, can we revisit where you both came from in radio? Shawn, you have a few decades of experience in the format, and Elaina, you are still rather new to the Country side of radio. Can you each give me a brief overview of your path to Country radio and tell us why you love what you do?

Shawn: I am not even supposed to be here. I was going to be a pro golfer, but to support my golfing habit, I became a club deejay. Then, they came in - we did radio station parties at the club - and they asked if I could do that, my club show, on the air. To this day, thirty years later, feel more blessed than I've ever been. I've learned so much about the industry and how it works by being in this town. Becoming closer to the artists, as not just artists, but really feeling like a part of that family is also a part of what keeps me excited. I tell Elaina this every day, but I have more energy today than I have ever had. This genre has always been home for me. I'm not from a country town - I come from Norwalk, California where I was born and raised, but most of the time I was in Anaheim and Huntington Beach - so growing up, I was surrounded by surfing and the beach, but I wore a cowboy hat. In my high school, I carried my radio around playing Country music. It was Steve Wariner and Hank Jr. and all of that, but it was mixed in with Journey, and Boston, and Styx. I had long hair - a mullet like Blake Shelton and Billy Ray [Cyrus] - but before it was cool. I'd listen to early George Strait and early Alabama, the Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings kinds of stuff. My next-door neighbors were rockers, though; they had a band with heavy metal stuff coming through the walls. I had all of these influences growing up, but I was the Country guy.

Elaina: I fell in to radio, actually. I had wanted to work in television, and I had worked so hard to get a job at Entertainment Tonight and the Insider. While I was still in college, I landed that job. San Diego was where I went to college, and I was driving to Los Angeles three to four times per week, either right after classes or on the days I didn't have a class. To make some money to get through college, I needed a job that was flexible, and I heard about a radio station that was wanting Promotions Assistants. I contacted them and explained that I was driving back and forth all the time, and they said that would be fine, because they could work with my schedule. At the time, that was a Jack-FM station, which obviously doesn't have any personalities on it. Except, this station had one woman who was going on maternity leave, but she would do these little bits throughout the day. When she went on maternity leave, they asked me to come in and try it out. They said, "We just think you'd really like this and that you'd be good at it." I did that, and they ended up getting a morning show called "Dave, Shelly, and Chainsaw." They couldn't bring the girl over, though, so they auditioned a bunch of people to fill that role. At the last minute, the PD asked me to just try out for fun, to get some experience auditioning, and I did. A few days later, they called me and said, "We fell in love with you. We really want you to come and do this." And, I said, "Well, good! Because, I fell in love with you guys, and I think I just fell in love with radio!" Luckily, it came at a really wonderful time for me, because I was not loving the Entertainment Tonight job that I had wanted for so long, and I had decided that I didn't think television was for me. Finding radio was a blessing from above. Once I graduated college, I decided to keep going, but, I also knew I didn't want to be San Diego's little sister for the rest of my career - and I always would have been if I had stayed there. I put out my stuff everywhere that I could - I made my own first little aircheck - and after sending my stuff out, I got a call from Melbourne, Florida. That was my second stop, and it was a Pop station. I had a great year there, and I had met Mike McVay. I was only there for a year, but I got a call from him, and he said, "Have you heard of this new brand that we're launching, it's called NASH?" And, of course I had. They had come in and done a presentation on it, and I remember sitting there watching the presentation and thinking, "This looks so cool! But, I can never be a part of that, because I'm in Pop radio, and I guess I'm just in that hole." I just admired it from afar, even though it was right next door. When Mike called, he said, "Would you ever think about maybe going in to Country?" I told him I loved Country! I just didn't think it was a possibility. He said they really wanted to try me out for this opportunity, so I flew out and met Shawn, auditioned, and I got a call a few days later that they were going to bring me in. I think it was less than three weeks later that I was moving to Nashville!

2. How was the first meeting between you two? What did you know about each other going in to that first meeting, and what did you learn about each other that day that made you think this was the right fit?

Elaina: I knew only what I had looked up online about Shawn. So, I knew that he wore very loud jackets! I knew that he was the legend that he is in Los Angeles. I had heard him when I was younger, because I spent about half the time in Los Angeles as I was growing up. The first meeting, I came to the NASH Campus, and it was just a room with Shawn Parr, Blair Garner, and Kix Brooks. They were all in there for my interview, and it was so intimidating! But, they were all so wonderful, and I'll never forget walking in and seeing those guys and thinking, "Whoa!"

Shawn: We definitely wanted a female, and we looked at three. We had already talked to a few, and I'd done some phone interviews with a couple of ladies, and then we decided to bring Elaina in. When she walked in, you talk about a breath of fresh air! It's so bizarre, because I was quiet! Elaina was the one who just talked and talked. After that, we went to lunch. Then, we hopped in the car and took her back to the airport. It was so very quick - literally just a few hours of her being in. When she got out of the car, I told Mike to make the call. There was no one else - she was it.

3. With such a quick first meeting, what do you think it was that really bonded you two so quickly? What did you connect over in that first day that you've built on to create the show dynamic you have now?

Elaina: I think it was the chicken at Husk. We really connected over that!

Shawn: Or, maybe it was the vegetable platter.

Elaina: Honestly, I think it was the West Coast connection that helped a lot. We had that same kind of personality that comes from the West Coast, and we really did just kind of "get" each other. Especially being out here, if you hear someone that says things that are familiar to you, it just makes things so much easier and more comfortable.

Shawn: And, her social background was so awesome to me. She was an internet sensation, in my mind, and she has taught me so much about social media and all of that. I knew that we needed a strong social game, and that we needed to be everywhere. Her energy just drew me in, and she has pushed and elevated me since we've been together. I think I've elevated her, too, and we have both grown so much. With any show, you can't put two people together and tell them to make magic. I have never felt comfortable from day one to launch a show the way I did knowing I had this girl with me. We are firing on all cylinders right now, and we have been for the past few years.

4. You've just recently celebrated four years together as "NASH Nights Live." What has changed for you guys in those four years? What do you think has changed about the format and the industry in those four years?

Elaina: It's weird to think that it has been that long. Next year, it will be half a decade! That is just so weird!

Shawn: I think about that every day. It feels like 20 minutes have gone by, but it has been four years!

Elaina: So much has happened, and so much has changed. We have grown. It's crazy to think about how much has happened since January 6th, 2014.

Shawn: Musically, I think we are getting back to the roots of Country. When we first launched "NASH Nights Live," the music was really Pop-y and really leaning in that direction with "Bro Country." Now, it's like somebody took the steering wheel and got us going back to the center. I think a lot of that has to do with the Jon Pardis and all of these amazing artists we have now that are coming through and steering things back to that side again. You've got David Lee Murphy coming back with a new album. And, then, we can talk about Ashley McBryde's album and how Country that is - the women of Country have stepped up and said, "Here we come!" Kacey Musgraves' new album is phenomenal, also. Industry wise, with streaming and the challenges that we constantly have, it's tough. Radio is adjusting, though, and if you look at the numbers, radio is still the number one revenue for advertisers.

Elaina: Coming in to Country from Pop radio, I think one of the things that I first noticed when I came in to the format and could actually see logs for a Country station was the males. That conversation over the last four years has been prevalent. Coming from Pop radio, I was used to women ruling the game; it was mostly women, and the artists we had coming through the station were predominantly female. So, it was so different for me to not really see much female representation, and it was very clear to me right away. Since then, the flood gates of that conversation have been opened, and it has been great to see it try to shift the other way. It's definitely not there yet, but it's trying, and the fact that the conversation is there is what is important, I think.

5. You mentioned it earlier, Shawn, about finding a home among the industry and artist community here in Nashville. Neither of you had lived in Nashville previously, so how have you turned these new experiences and these new connections and heightened levels of accessibility into something that you can share with your listeners?

Elaina: We try to get the most out of every artist visit that comes through. We stretch it for a mile. That's something I've been very fortunate to learn while being here - how to get the best content possible in the shortest amount of time. Radio people know that Blake Shelton isn't stopping by seven times this month; they understand that. But, when Blake Shelton comes in, we get all of this great content from him and utilize that time in the very best way possible. I think that for our show, that's how we make it happen and bring it to the listeners. For them, it's really exciting, because they can hear all of this great lifestyle content from the artists that they don't get everywhere else.

Shawn: Our show theme is "Where the Stars come out at night." We really try to paint that picture of bringing Nashville to Nebraska or to South Dakota and making them feel like they're in Nashville. It's not "Look what we get to do," it's "Look who's here, and we're bringing this to you!" We bring in exclusive content from things you can only see and do in Nashville, but we always share that with our listeners and try to make them feel like they are a part of the experience. These are the daily life things that only happen in Nashville, and we want to include our listeners in as much of that as possible. Sometimes, we're on the air, and we'll hear that someone is down the street performing, and we have the ability - and the luxury, with being so close to everything here in Downtown Nashville - to run out and go cover it really quickly and bring that to our listeners on the air or on social media, and then we can jump right back to the studio. It takes a team, and it takes a lot of effort and a lot of homework. We have an amazing team that works really hard, and we make it a lot of fun.

6. Can we talk about the elephant in the room? Syndication. You both come from a background of local radio, and now you're working on a nationally syndicated show. With so much being made of local versus syndication, how do you keep the show from sounding too generic, and how do you make sure to connect with local listeners in each of the markets?

Elaina: I think today it is a lot easier because of social media. There's an instantaneous way that a listener can contact and connect with any of us. They can reach out to us as a show or as individuals, so we have that added layer when it comes to connecting locally. Also, we have great relationships with all of our affiliates. They will send us what is going on in their town, and we'll have conversations about the way the locals would say something. We feel like we are locals in each of these towns, because we really put the effort in to understanding each and every market that we possibly can.

Shawn: I think the key there is relationships, like Elaina mentioned. We work hand-in-hand with our PDs coast to coast, and we care about what's happening in Colorado Springs or Allentown. We know what's happening in Kentucky or Ft. Wayne, because our PDs are constantly tweeting what we're giving them, and we're feeding off of what they give us. We take that extra time to call our PDs or to answer any questions they might have or get extra information from them that might help with the local portion of the show. The turnaround for us is almost immediate. We just spent an hour before you got here cutting liners for affiliates for new contests that they are doing locally. We spend so much time with phones and getting everyone to feel like this is their show. This isn't our show - how blessed are we that we get to do this - but, this is your show. Let us bring it to you and thank you for listening to us. I get the local thing. I grew up with it and worked in it. But, if I'm a program director, I'm looking at Nashville and thinking, "Man, they've got Kenny Chesney coming in, or Jake Owen coming in. They have exclusive access?" We have that, so why wouldn't you want to bring it to your listeners? We work so hard - I think harder than anybody else - to make sure you feel like we are right there so that it still feels as local as possible while bringing all the exclusive benefits of being in Nashville.

7. You've been given the opportunity to have exclusive access to the biggest artists in our format, and you've put together a content strategy to stretch that access, as well. Most local talent doesn't get the opportunity for an artist interview on a regular basis. So, what advice would you give to local personalities who might get the chance to sit down with an artist once a year for 15 to 30 minutes? How can they conduct the interview to get the most mileage out of the content created in that short amount of one-on-one time? How can they extend the same interview across social media platforms, as well?

Elaina: Don't go in with just the basic copy points of talking about a new single or an album that is coming out. You need to know that you want to be able to stretch this interview and these content pieces. A radio interview, on air, will never be longer than two to five minutes - you're not going to break from the music for thirty minutes to talk to an artist - so, keep in mind that you don't need a podcast length conversation. You just need smaller bits of audio. Do a little talk about the single or the album, then pick some other lifestyle conversations that would appeal to your audience. Do smaller, back-and-forth conversations that are stand alone at two to five minutes each. That's what we do, and it works so magically. The artists are now aware that we have an organized way of doing the interview, and they know that some components might air at a later date, so we are sure to be time sensitive about things. It's so easy and so efficient if you do it that way.

Shawn: We are on seven days a week in about 89 of our markets right now, so we need content on the weekends, as well. Artists love the fact that we don't spend thirty minutes talking about one subject. When they come in, they know that it's going to be six different topics. But, we've also done our homework. We know what they have coming up, what is coming up nationally and locally on the calendar, and we've created lifestyle events based on the time of year, too. We'll look ahead and think about the Summer time or holidays, and we utilize that two- to five-minute clip to plan for something in the future. You don't have to use everything now.

Elaina: And, for social, we have our Executive Producer take a ton of photos. He will snap candid shots and posed shots, we'll do trade shots - we even take photos of each artists' shoes and post those saying, "Guess who is coming by the studio tonight." There are so many ways you can capture photos and repurpose them endlessly for social media content. In a small amount of time, you can get enough content to stretch to promote items or use the photos when a story breaks about an artist. We also love using Facebook Live when we are out at events. We utilize Instagram stories, too, to help achieve our goal of bringing Nashville to our listeners and followers. As far as locally, if a station has someone come in, get as many photos as possible - even if you have to bring in a street teamer or promotions person to serve as your photographer for that half-hour. Definitely brainstorm ahead of time about the kind of photos you want and how you might use the pictures in the coming months so that you have a game plan going in to it. Always check to see if you can get video content from the artist, even if it's just to do a quick video drop for a locally-based contest. We have "4K A Day" going on right now through Cumulus, and if you can get an artist to do a video for social saying, "Hey, listen to Marty McFly weekdays for your '4K A Day' keyword," that's huge. Just think about what is coming down the line for your station that you could use a 10-second promotional video from an artist to back up, and you can get great content to spread across the entire year.

Shawn: One of our favorite things we've ever done was when Luke Bryan came in. We had questions from listeners printed on these large cards, so when we took photos, you could see that it was a question submitted from a listener. We had their name and social media handle under their question, and then there was Luke Bryan, holding up their question on a card, answering that question, and addressing the listener by name and saying where they were from. Can you imagine if you're a program director, and your listener is being called by name and by city - and having a question answered from Luke Bryan? Giving your listeners that kind of access is paramount now, and we can do that with the magic of social media! It takes a couple of extra steps in planning and preparation, but you are instantly a hero to someone who gets to be called by name when Luke Bryan answers their question on air or on social media. That's how hard we work to make it as local as possible.

8. Continuing the idea of how you connect a nationally syndicated show to a local audience, let's take a look at your charitable works individually and as a show. You guys spend a lot of time working with a number of charitable causes. What initiatives are some of the most important to you, and why?

Elaina: Shawn has worked with plenty of charities throughout his career, and he still does so much for so many people. He's always busy and always doing something for someone else. We just recently went on a St. Jude trip, and we are hoping to do a lot more with them, nationally, coming up soon. I think that giving back is imperative. How can you not? One of my favorite things to volunteer with is the local animal shelter, and I've always done that in any town I've been in, because I just love dogs!

Shawn: One of the things that Elaina and I both agree on is that our hashtag is to #GiveBack. I learned early on in radio that without the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF) and all that I have done for them and with them, that has been how I've gotten to where I am today - by giving. So, I continue to give as much as possible whenever I possibly can. One of my favorite things to do right now is that I came to Elaina and our team and said, "For 2018, I would like us to try to visit as many affiliates as we can." When I'm out doing a charity in a city, I will visit the affiliate that is close to there. We've succeeded in doing that. When I first moved to Nashville, I was invited to play in a golf tournament for T.J. Martell and then was immediately asked to be on the board for them, as well. I'm proud to serve on that board and do events for them locally. There are so many more, too.

Elaina: Locally, we also work with Musicians On Call (MOC).

Shawn: We do that every year, yes. Locally, it's T.J. Martell. Nationally, it's just that if you need something, we are in. We get calls from a lot of our affiliates asking us to do something for their local St. Jude fundraisers. I travel to Mexico several times per year to do things there. The police officers in California, who I've done things with for years and years, have always asked me to come back and do their events. Elaina will sometimes take on twice the work just so I can go do a charity event. That is asking so much of her, and she gives willingly of her time so that we can be part of these charities. I can't think of a charity that we would ever say no to working with if we had the time, because we are so blessed to do what we do and have the opportunity to give back all across the country.

9. Now, you guys are partnering for another gig, but it's one that has been part of Shawn's life for quite some time. Elaina, you are joining Shawn to voice "The 53rd Academy Of Country Music Awards" on Sunday, April 15th. Shawn, you've been the voice of the ACM Awards for quite some time now, so let's start there. How did you land the job?

Shawn: This is my 24th year as the voice of the ACM Awards. I just had this fantasy that if I could get on the golf tournament committee for the ACMs, that Dick Clark's people would discover me. At the tournament, the auctioneer didn't show up for the dinner. There were 600 people there, and all the artists were there. They had this one guitar that all the artists were signing, and that is what was supposed to be auctioned off for the night. I said, "Tell them I'll do it!" It was Gene Weed and Bill Boyd from Dick Clark Productions; Gene was the director of all of Dick's stuff. He said, "Okay, Shawn Parr from KIK-FM is going to do it!" I did, and I jumped up on the table. The guitars typically go for about $1,000, but I drove the auction and got it to sell for $7,000. I got a call two weeks later from Bill Boyd to do a show called "Hot Country Nights" on NBC-TV as a warm-up guy. I had no clue what a warm-up guy was, but I was making $6 an hour doing mornings at KIK-FM, and they were going to pay me $500 a night for two nights. I sped up to Burbank two nights per week! Dick Clark, from day one I met this man, took me under his wing. At the end of the eight-week run on "Hot Country Nights," he said, "We're doing this show on Sunday. It's called The Academy Of Country Music Awards. Do you have a tuxedo?" I said, "Yes." He said, "Universal Amphitheater. Are you busy Sunday?" I said, "No, but I can't do it. There are 9,000 people there and 400 here. I can't go in front of that many people!" Dick said, "Oh, whatever! I'll see you on Sunday. You know the drill." I showed up in my tux on Sunday, and there was Dick Clark, introducing me on the stage of the Universal Amphitheater. Then, a year later, I was the voice. After that, I was doing the American Music Awards, and then I was doing the Golden Globes. It was special after special, and I became Dick Clark's guy. Twenty-six years later, I'm still Dick Clark's guy! It has been an amazing run, and it's a blessing every single time.

10. And, now, Elaina is joining the mix! Elaina, how did you get recruited for this, and what process did you have to go through to get the job alongside Shawn? What made this opportunity so special and appealing for you?

Elaina: I wasn't there, so I don't know how the conversation started, but I do know that, ultimately, they were looking to add a female voice to the mix. I got a cryptic text from Shawn, and he just said, "RAC Clark is going to call you." There was no context, though. I get the call from RAC, and I told him that I had no idea what he was calling about. He said, "Shawn didn't tell you? Here's what we are thinking. We want to add a female voice in, and we thought that you might be a good option since you already have a relationship with Shawn. I hear you on the show, and I hear that you are bubbly. We really love that, but we are going to need you to audition. Would you be interested?" Of course, I said yes right away. The next day, they sent me a script. He wanted a bunch of different reads of each category, so I did that and sent them to Shawn first. I asked Shawn what he thought, because he was the only other person that knew this was happening. Then, I sent it back to RAC one rainy Saturday morning and figured I'd let it Jesus take the wheel! We didn't hear anything for about two weeks; it was kind of radio silence. I was thinking this might not happen, because they must not have liked what I did, but Shawn was so sweet and supportive through it all. Then, while I was in a movie one night, I saw that I had a text message from RAC Clark, and it just said, "Welcome to the ACM family. Congratulations!" In the movie theater, I just went, "EEEGHHKK!" Yeah, I don't know what sound that was - like a dinosaur or something - but that's the noise that came out of my mouth. I had to sit through the rest of the movie after that, and I can't even tell you what movie was, honestly, because I was just so excited that everything else didn't matter.

Shawn: I am so proud of this girl. She has come up to another level. And, it has been amazing to work with her these last four years and see the growth that we have had as a team and as friends. When RAC called me and we started talking about adding a female voice, he asked me if I knew anybody, and I didn't know anybody personally that does voiceover - but, we started talking about Elaina, and I said, "She would be great." RAC asked if I thought she could do it, and if I could do it with her, and I said, "Yeah, are you kidding? We are a team. We can do anything." Elaina sent me all of her stuff. I coached her some of the voiceover aspect of it.

Elaina: Obviously, if I'm going to get pointers from anyone, I want it to be this man. He is THE voice of everything! And, this brings a new depth to our relationship, too, because he can coach and mentor me in this area with voiceover work. To me, he's Shawn. But, then I have to realize that he's Shawn Parr! This is his thing, and I couldn't ask for a better person to get advice from and learn from in this aspect of my career.

Shawn: When I first started, Gene Weed would put his finger on my shoulder to get the timing right for television. The other day, Elaina and I were working on some things for the package, and when I was talking to her, I just had to stop and tell her that this was a very special moment for me, because this was me showing her what I had learned in the beginning. She is so good, and it was so easy, because just small changes are all that is need. Our energy level is already there, and when we started recording, it was amazing. It's going to be a great show this year! We know some things that are happening that will just blow everyone away. The opening of the show is going to be very special. But, there are so many performances! Less awards, more performances... and Elaina D. Smith!

1. You have had the opportunity now, with the access you have to Country artists, to interview almost everyone in the format. But, if you were to have the opportunity as a team - or as an individual - to interview an artist from outside of our format, who would you pick, and why?

Elaina: Sorry, Shawn, you're staying outside for this one - Britney Spears! I love me some Britney. She can do no wrong. I love her! Last year in Vegas, I went to go see her show, because I made that a priority during ACM weekend. I got chills just thinking about that being a possibility.

Shawn: Can they be someone dead? I would love to sit down with Elvis and thank him. I have so many questions about his music and what that era was like. My mother was such an Elvis fan. Now, I see all these mothers that are Luke Bryan or Jason Aldean or Garth Brooks fans, and I get it. However, if we have to keep it limited to people who are alive today, I would definitely pick Justin Timberlake.

Elaina: Wait! That was going to be my second choice! Can we get Britney and Justin in together? Maybe in their denim outfits?! Wait, since Shawn added a second person, I'm adding one, too, and it would be Bruno Mars.

Shawn: Justin and Bruno are definitely two artists I would go gaga for. No doubt. Those would be amazing interviews.

2. You've been partners now on-air for four years, and that is longer than some marriages last. So, outside of the teamwork on-air, what do you love and respect most about your co-host?

Elaina: I love his heart. On every level. It's been a year and a half now since my brother passed away, and that was a moment that solidified that Shawn isn't just my coworker, but a true friend. Shawn was so supportive, and he made sure that I had anything I needed. The first day I came back to the studio after that, he had this little wooden angel sitting on my desk. It was something he didn't have to do, because he had already been so supportive and so lovely, but it was a small gesture. I keep that with me at my home, and I just appreciate how much he cares about me as a person. Realizing that this is a genuine friendship, and he has the biggest heart - that's what I love most about Shawn Parr.

Shawn: She took the words out of my mouth. I've been through so much - in four years, WE have been through so much - and, when my mother passed away, or the first two months I was on the air and was in a wheelchair. I had hurt my back just as we were launching the show, and I had a walker for six weeks. Elaina was always asking, "How are you feeling? How are you doing? Do you need anything?" She was reaching out to me, outside of work, to see how I was and how she could help. When I was in California handling family things, she was there for me. It goes back to the beginning, for me. You can't put two people together and expect magic - but, sometime the magic just happens. When they put Elaina and I together, it worked on the air, but it also worked on a personal level. This is my girl. She is my family, and my friend, and we are in this together, and we are equals. To be able to share these things together every day is a blessing, and I love her.