10 Questions with ... Adam Drake

NAME:Adam Drake TITLE:APD/MD/afternoons STATIONS:KAGG MARKET:Bryan-College Station, TX COMPANY:Clear Channel BORN:Silsbee, Texas RAISED:Silsbee, Texas

Please outline your radio career so far:

Please outline your career so far:
2002-2005: Cumulus Broadcasting - KAYD/Beaumont, TX, night guy
2005-2006: Elite Broadcasting - Nacogdoches, TX/Natchitoches, LA
2006: Clear Channel - Lufkin, TX
2006: KOLE News Talk - Beaumont, TX. Producer, Morning Co-host, Promotions Director
2006-2007: The Salvation Army/Boys & Girls Club - Beaumont, TX. Public Relations
2007-2008: Clear Channel - Bryan, TX. APD/MD/Afternoon Drive

1) From reading your bio on the station's website, it says that you started out in the food service industry before getting into radio. How did you decide that radio was the path you wanted to take? How did you get your first radio job?

Well, I was in college at the time as a theatre major and working at Bennigan's in Beaumont. It was just one of those college jobs to help afford the necessities. A guy came in one slow night, and we started talking about sports together. Turns out he had a sports talk show and invited me co-host with him for a week. The bosses thought I did well enough after that week to offer me a part-time gig. I really realized that radio is what I wanted to do after moving to the Country station and finding Texas Country music. Also after bringing on my first band at a concert, I was able to soothe my theatre side!

2) What kind of music did you listen to growing up? Have you always liked Country music? What made you choose Country radio as opposed to other formats?

I grew up listening to everything. I always had a thing for Outlaw Country and Southern Rock sounds. With my dad we listened to everything from Black Sabbath to Willie to Asleep at the Wheel to ZZ Top. I worked for a bit on a Classic Rock station. I really enjoyed it, but Country is where my soul is.

3) Being from Texas, I'm sure you have some favorite Texas Country artists. Name a few for me. Do you guys integrate Texas music into your station's playlist- do you have a special Texas music hour or Texas music show?

Wow, that's kind of a loaded question. If I tell you one guy I like, I'm leaving 10 off! So if any of those guys notice their names not on here, I apologize - you're still in my heart! I really like Kevin Fowler, Rodney Parker, Jimmy Kaiser and David Lee Kaiser, Aaron Watson and Honeybrowne just to name a few. We integrate as much as we can into every day rotations. A lot of it is produced just as well as the Nashville stuff and I think could work well no matter where it was played. We also do have a couple of specialty shows where that's all we play. We do the Texas 12 Pack just before 10p with 12 songs back to back and then Sunday nights from 7P-Mid we do Texas Crossroads, which is all Texas Country artists.

4) We heard you love to go to concerts. What was the first concert you ever went to, and what are some of the best live shows you've been to?

First concert I ever saw was George Jones, Travis Tritt and John Anderson at the Civic Center in Beaumont. I was a little too young to really "get" George and John, but I loved Travis Tritt's "Here's a Quarter" and "Anymore." I think Cross Canadian Ragweed puts on one fantastic show, lots of energy. For my money though, Kenny Chesney is today's Garth Brooks. He runs, climbs, sings, talks to the crowd and everything for two hours. Plus, almost breaking his foot in the first minute of a show, then carrying on with it a couple months ago was amazing! Not many people can do that.

5) How does Aggie 96 differ from other stations in the market- what makes you guys stand out and be unique, other than the personalized moniker?

I think it differs as much as one Country station can from its competition. Listening to the differences between us and our main competitor, I think we play a more balanced mix of Nashville Country, Classic Country and Texas Country.

6) I read in your bio that you once worked as the Public Relations Director for the Salvation Army in Beaumont. Tell us how you got that job. Do you do a lot of volunteer work?

I like to do as much as I can for the community. In high school I was in different service organizations and always wanted to do what I could for others. Once in radio, I started hosting American Cancer Society Relay For Life walks in my hometown and from there just did whatever I could. I got the PR job at The Salvation Army from knowing about radio. They assumed that I knew what to say to the media to get them to help us with our projects. It was a lot of fun, and one of the things I am most proud of in my life.

7) If I were to hop on a plane and come visit Bryan-College Station, where are some cool places you would take me? Do I need to make sure to bring my Texas A&M Aggie maroon-colored outfit instead of my burnt-orange University of Texas outfit so I don't get beaten up?

You would definitely have to wear your maroon! It was so funny moving up here. I was actually a Longhorn fan growing up. It was mainly to play devil's advocate to a lot of my friends growing up who were Aggie fans. I really just wanted anyone from Texas to do well. With moving here, I didn't know what to expect. I'd heard all the jokes and knew some of the traditions, but this is really one of the greatest places on Earth. The people are so into the college and the town that it's inspiring. I've never been anywhere where the community could come together so strongly.

8) Speaking of the Aggies, does your station do anything as far as events or broadcasts that support the university since you guys are named after their mascot, or is your moniker just a name?

In this town, it's hard not to be involved in one way or another with the university. We do things with various student apartments, host tailgate parties and giveaway tickets.

9) We hear you are a big sports fanatic. What are your favorite teams, and what's up with your absolute hatred for the Chicago Cubs and the Oklahoma Sooners?

I am a Houston Astros fan through and through. They are really the only team I am die hard for. The reason I don't like the Cubs is because one of my first Astros games that I went to as a child was when they played the Cubs. Some of their fans were rude. I know everyone can have rude fans, but it just stuck with me through the years. The Sooners - well, being from Texas I'm obliged not to like too much about Oklahoma!

10) What are some of the songs that you thought were destined for hit-status and then fell through the cracks?

Again, a lot of the Texas music I think would be great nationally. We've seen artists like Pat Green and Jack Ingram make names for themselves on a national stage, and I believe there are dozens more who are just as good. I think Maren Morris' "All That It Takes" is a beautifully written song. It's your basic love song that sums up the emotions of a real love. It's still got some legs that can take her to the top. Another is Aaron Watson's "Hearts Are Breaking Across Texas." It's about a guy talking about his soon-to-be wife walking down the aisle. I don't know a married guy who didn't feel the same way.

1) You're a big movie buff, is that right? What are some of your favorite movies of all time? Have you seen any of the big summer blockbusters yet?

Ha, I'm a nerd. I like the comic book movies that have come out recently. Other than that, I really like Dazed & Confused, American Beauty, Almost Famous, Forrest Gump, Dogma, Office Space - I could go on for another couple of pages. As for as the summer blockbusters, I've seen them all: Incredible Hulk, Iron Man, Wanted and The Dark Knight.

2) What are you currently listening to on your CD player or iPod?

A little bit of everything is in my iPod. Right now some of the most played are the Foo Fighters, Marshall Tucker Band, Radney Foster, 3 Doors Down, Garth Brooks, Aerosmith, Jack Ingram and George Strait. The album I can't wait to put on there is Darius Rucker's new country album.

3) What artists or celebrities, dead or alive, would you love to interview and why?

Waylon Jennings and Johnny Cash are at the top of the list. These two guys, along with Willie (who I've already interviewed), helped pioneer today's country music. They made it something that pretty much everyone could enjoy, because it talked about real life. If there was a Mount Rushmore of country music, Willie, Waylon and Johnny are there. To be able to talk with each of those guys who have meant so much to so many generations of music fans would be amazing.