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10 Questions with ... Cliff Blake
May 19, 2008
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NAME:Cliff BlakeTITLE:Director, Northeast PromotionLABEL:Columbia RecordsBORN:Haverhill, MARAISED:On a chicken farm
Please outline your radio career so far:
Radio PD/OM/On Air for 25 years at WAAF/WFTQ/Worcester, MA, WZZK/Birmingham, WBCS (then in Milwaukee) WMZQ/Washington, DC, KFKF/Kansas City, WMXJ/Miami, WZLX/Boston, WOKQ/Dover, NH. Record company stops since '96 at Warner Bros, Equity, 903 Music and now Columbia Nashville.
1) Hey Cliffy, when you were a little kid what did you think you wanted to be when you grew up?
Well, my mother always thought I'd grow up to be a minister. (pause for comic laughter) But I wanted to be an architect, a detective or a scientist. I went through high school in the 'scientific' program, and even entered college with an undeclared major. It wasn't until freshman year in college that I realized that radio was going to be my first career. I was walking through the student union my first semester and this arm reached out and dragged me into the campus radio station. I'd found my calling.
2) You have been a New England resident a long time- have you ever considered moving to Nashville, and what do you love most about where you live?
I don't really think about packing up and moving to Nashville because I like living in the region with all my radio stations. And, back in radio, I moved a whole lot: Worcester, Birmingham, Milwaukee, DC, K.C., Ft. Lauderdale and back to Boston & Dover! It's nice to settle back where your roots are. Living in Seacoast, New Hampshire you get all four seasons to appreciate, plus I live 45 minutes from the mountains and 20 minutes from the ocean. I'm a pretty lucky guy, and then I get to live here!
3) What were a couple of your fondest moments from your radio days?
One was my farewell party in Kansas City. I'd been there almost a year, and was asked to transfer to Miami-Ft. Lauderdale with Sconnix. My GM, Tom Bresnahan, had the day declared "Ward Parkway" day in both Kansas City, Kansas and Kansas City, Missouri. Oh yeah. My air name in K.C. was named after a street: Ward Parkway. KFKF rented a bus with adult beverages to cruise the city (and the parking lot at 61Country - WDAF where we mooned the building!) Other memories? Being on CNN with President George (H.W.) Bush while hosting an event at my old high school. And getting to fly in the Goodyear blimp and with the Blue Angels!
4) Why did you want to make the switch to the 'records' side initially, and was it what you expected? What aspect of the job was the biggest surprise?
After 25 years in radio, I was looking for the right 'something else' to come along. Just as I was thinking those thoughts, I saw a news item about how Warner Bros. was gearing up to add to their promotion team. I thought, wouldn't that be interesting if they called me? Well, a day later, my old friend Bill Mayne called and asked: "Cliffy, have you ever thought about being in the record business?" We talked, and two days later I decided to jump from being OM/PD at WOKQ to Warner Bros. Now, every time I see Bill Mayne I say: "You did this to me!" Thanks, Bill for giving me that opportunity back in 1996. You know Steven Sharp? Steve told me very early that if I could make it through the first year in the music business that I'd be alright after that. I guess he knew his stuff. I'm still here.
5) Would you ever go back to radio?
Well, never say never, but Columbia's treating me pretty good. When I visit radio stations, I hear all about what they're going through. I'm happy just to play them the best music I can, offer advice if asked and head on down the road to the next station visit. In some ways, it's like I never left radio- I just work the other side of the street. More than anything, I want us to all work together so country radio has better music, better ratings, better revenue and we'll get better record sales because of their success. We really are two businesses on either side of Commerce Street that will always be interdependent.
6) Could you program a radio station under the current guidelines- let's just say you were at said company with a 15 or 16 song playlist, a group PD that had to give you the 'green light,' to add something, no promotions budget and the fact that 3 of the 5 shifts were voice tracked or syndicated?
I don't think so. Life's too short. I could program that radio station, but I wouldn't enjoy being a speed bump for someone else's plan. One thing I've learned it's not to live or work in fear. Make your decisions, work your own plan and accept the consequences. From Country to Classic Rock, the station brought me in to do a job- to be the Program DIRECTOR. I always balanced consultant advice, research, sales needs, music and imaging. I owed that station my best thinking every day. I respect getting outside advice, but ultimately, it'd my station, my responsibility, my decisions and my butt on the line.
7) If one of your lovely daughters said that they wanted to enter the industry would you be in favor of that?
Of course. It's their decision, and if it made them happy, I'd be all for it!
8) Things seem to be poppin' over there at Columbia right now- what has you excited right now?
Nothing like three songs in the Top 20 to make a fella happy! Having Montgomery Gentry, Miranda Lambert & Keith Anderson all moving up with solid gains makes Jimmy, David and the whole Columbia team proud! And we're not done yet! Still to come this spring are new singles from a new Gretchen Wilson album, and the debut country song from Jessica Simpson. Later this spring I'll be driving around with new face Christian Kane. Columbia's star is rising!
9) Tell us a couple of new artists that you are really high on?
I already mentioned this, but worth mentioning twice: wait 'til you hear new country music from Jessica Simpson! I also enjoy Blake Shelton's version of "Home" and the new Craig Morgan "Love Remembers."
10) If you were to have a dream job outside of the industry, what would it be?
I'd either buy houses and fix them up, design gardens and landscapes, or steal Tom Bergeron's job.
Bonus Questions
1. Favorite city to have dinner and where?
I travel a lot so an old favorite is Judson Grill in NYC, but there's nothing like a family lobster dinner with steamers at Newick's right here in Dover.
2. In the last six months we have seen Jimmy Rector lose 50-60 pounds, box Gator Michaels and run a half-marathon. Is Jesus coming back any day now?
Lemme go read Lewis Black's new book and I'll let you know.
3. What's in the CD player or iPod right now that you're diggin'?
Leona Lewis, The Ultimate Santana and Finger Eleven.
4. What was the first concert you ever went to?
Blood, Sweat & Tears in the University of New Hampshire Fieldhouse. Opening act was It's A Beautiful Day. I think it was the fall of 1970. David Clayton Thomas had already taken over.
First album you ever bought?
This will seem prophetic, but it was Bobbie Gentry's "Ode To Billie Joe" and I thought she was SO sexy sittin' up on that fence with her jeans and guitar. Sigh.
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