10 Questions with ... Bobby Young

NAME:Bobby Young TITLE:Sr. Vice President of Promotion and Artist Development COMPANY:Country Thunder/Permian Records IM:bobbyyoung06 BORN:Rochester, NY RAISED:Upstate New York and the streets of Music Row

1) After a long career in the music industry you left to pursue other opportunities and now you are back- was the pull too strong? It happens a lot it seems- it's like Hotel California "You Can Check Out, But You Can Never Leave."

That's a great question Jim, and I was asked that a lot. I had established myself as an investment professional with one of the top brokerage firms and had built a solid business in Columbia, TN in a short period of time, and found some peace for a while helping folks with their investments and financial planning. It was personally rewarding, but very disciplined and regimented.

During the two and a half years I was in hiding, and without going into two much detail, I'd had a few of calls and I finally took a couple of meetings with folks about a couple of record opportunities. It was then that I began asking myself "how in the world did I ever end up in Columbia, TN?" It was never something I had planned for or aspired to do.

It was also during this period that my good friend, Larry Pareigis, reminded me that helping an artist achieve their dreams and share their art was very rewarding as well. I realized that the music business was going through changes and challenges like never before. I found myself wanting to be a part of it, and spending all my extra time trying to catch up and learn as much as possible about all the changes in the broadcasting industry, the recording industry, and the evolution of new media, love new media.

I know I was beginning to drive my wife crazy because I was spending so much time talking about my renewed interest that I finally asked God one day to give me a sign and let me know what it was I was supposed to be doing with my career, and believe it or not, it may have been the same day, I received a call from Scott Borchetta and Jack Purcell asking if I might be interested in joining them at Big Machine, which Scott had launched a few months earlier. Coupled with the realization that Elliot Spitzer at the time was extorting money from the Investment world as well as Radio and Records, and that he was effecting my business either way, I was more than excited to accept their offer and go back to work in an industry where I had over 20 years of relationships and friendships. It was an easy decision actually, and this was the short version.

2) Before joining Country Thunder/Permian you worked under Scott Borchetta at Big Machine. He has had tremendous success- what do you bring with you from that experience?

Scott is also one of my oldest friends in Nashville, and he has amazing vision. He is one of only a couple of elite business people in the record business, that I've known, that has truly studied it, lived it and has had the drive to execute his vision to extreme success and dominate and win time and time again.

I was truly blessed to have landed my first job back at BMR and to have participated in the success. I had the opportunity to be working with not only Scott, but Jack Purcell, John Zarling, and everyone at Big Machine- there's no way for me to measure the enormous impact working there has or will have on the future.

3) You grew up in upstate NY, not exactly Branson- how did you gravitate to the Country music world- what led you to Nashville?

As you know, I was very young when I moved here to write songs and had a few small cuts, but as you can imagine didn't make enough to support my family, so I did cartage for session drummers and also did lead sheets for music publishers in my spare time. This is how I met Gene Kennedy, who at the time had just left MCA and started his own label and was having top 10 singles with acts like Peggy Sue (Crystal Gayle's sister) and Jerry Wallace. Gene taught me early how important it was to build relationships, and that you had to "ask" for the add.

During this period I met and became friends with some of Music Row's top promotion people - Bob Saporiti, Gene Hughes, Bruce Hinton, Nick Hunter, (Scott Borchetta) to name a few. In 1982 I started Bobby Young Promotions and over the next 20 years had business ventures, dealings, worked for, and and/or had friendships with all of them. It was in 1982 that you and I first became good friends Jim, when you were PD at WSEN in Syracuse.

4) You seem to have a knack for mentoring and grooming young people- tell us who some of these folks are that you hired initially.

I've had the opportunity to work with and/or recruited some great promotion people over the years - Pat Surnegie, Glen Noblit, Joe Redmond, Patti Olsen, Bob Reeves, and Kevin Herring, who is one of the best in the business in my opinion, all come to mind. As far as first timers that are doing well, Gator Michaels worked with me at Young-Olsen and Associates. Both Brooks Quigley and Matt Corbin at River North (Platinum). I remember hiring Norbert Nix and Rocco Cosco at Mercury when I was VP there. Rocco and I first started working together in 1986 at my Indie company. I had moved to Nashville with his brother in-law, Doug Block, who also worked with me as an Indie. Rocco and I lived three houses apart in New York growing up and never knew each other until he moved to Nashville. We first worked together in '86 after Doug passed away in '85. Many folks still remember Doug. He was well loved on Music Row.

5) What kinds of things do you look for when you hire someone?

I believe you need to be likeable, and most important, have the ability to listen, not to me so much, but to the programmers and executives you want to partner with and have relationships with. If someone has these qualities, has a little guidance and they are willing to work harder than everyone else, they can usually earn respect and develop mutually beneficial relationships.

Today, I believe that a regional manager needs to be more than a promotion person, that you need to always be on the lookout for marketing opportunities, opportunities to develop partnerships with stations, to help establish and brand your acts with their listeners and in the marketplace. I believe those promotion people that can successfully think outside the box like this will be working 10, 15 years from now, regardless of what the record business or the radio industry landscapes or models look like.

6) You have done everything- from being a label VP in the 90's in a corporate setting, a successful independent, a regional- what are a couple of your proudest moments?

Participating in Big Machine's success is at the top of the list today, but I like to win and it's even sweeter when you've been told you can't do something or that something won't work. The Kentucky Headhunters comes to mind as the most obvious example, I remember everyone on Music Row thought we were crazy to release this project to Country radio. They went on to be CMA's Band Of The Year two years in a row. During my tenure there, we also had success with Kathy Mattea, Sammy Kershaw, Toby Keith and Billy Ray. Those were good times.

My partner, Patti Olsen, and I had some cool, proactive, and innovative accomplishments at Young-Olsen and Associates as well.

I also loved working with Eddie Mascolo. Had the opportunity to work with him at Mercury, Jeff McClusky and Associates, and Platinum Entertainment (not the topless bar). He's one of my all-time favorite people!

7) Has "American Idol" been good for music?

Absolutely! What an opportunity! Establishing an artist in the marketplace before asking programmers to take a leap of faith is an opportunity, in my opinion, not to be taken lightly. New Media is also going to continue playing a major role in helping brand artists in the future. While there will always be one-off's, I strongly believe we need to strive to brand our artists in the marketplace. This is in everyone's best interest; radio, music companies, sponsors, and of course the artists themselves.

8) Your wife Heather has had a very successful career in the music industry as well and you have a young child at home- how do you balance career, home, family etc.?

Above all else and with all the crazy hours and travel, I believe that it's our relationship with God that is the most obvious reason we're able to balance it and make it work.

Heather has colored my world and it's her uncanny common sense and maturity that also binds our family together. I've been blessed in a lot of ways, but nothing compares to the peace and joy that she brings to our family.

Before having her current position with Dierks Bentley's organization, Heather worked with Bill Catino for twelve years at Capitol, understands the business and understands my love for this business. Caleb just turned 4 and Josh is 10. Josh is an amazing guitar player for his age, his idol is Slash. He can play all the Guns 'n' Roses songs, Black Sabbath, Zeppelin, etc. I'm in awe of his ability. For the same reason, we make sure he goes to church five days a week; we are hoping to keep him balanced.

9) What do you two do for fun on date nights? Okay, I already know the answer- should you get a free night, what would a good date be?

Simple. Occasionally her parents will keep the boys and we will go to dinner and/or a movie. Just to be alone and do something simple like this together doesn't sound like much to some probably, but it's a big deal to us.

10) What is coming up with Country Thunder/Permian that you are excited about?

I wish you could feel my excitement about what we're building over here. Herbert Graham is a winner, and has won and defeated odds and come out on top in every venture he has pursued. Craig Morris, our G.M, has years of experience in business management, publishing, A&R, and promotion. Country Thunder is a little over a year old, still a new label, and we've already kicked it up a notch, and getting ready to getting to take it to another level. We're in the process of filling other key positions; sales, marketing, publicity, and we just finished reorganizing the promotion and are already building a solid new media department.

Permian is a work in progress. I was brought on board to help launch this venture. Sometimes it takes a little longer to do it right and get everything in place than you originally thought, and this has given us more time to reorganize Country Thunder. The talent in development at Permian was the final determining factor when I made my decision to leave a great position at Big Machine, and join Herbert's organization. I'm anticipating that everyone will find the music in development fresh and exciting.

I have been pleased at the feedback I've gotten from programmers about Bluefield's (Rick Ferrell and Jennifer Hicks) music. Radio visits have been exceptional and the music is fresh, hip and unique. Their first single, "Drive Away" is one of those singles that after 30 seconds, it reaches the chorus and the rest of the song is one hook after another. Rick's written some big #1 singles for Tim McGraw and Martina McBride. Together, their songwriting is superb and stands completely on its own, and "Drive Away" is no exception. The project is deep and intimate and should easily connect with the country audience. The album is scheduled for a February release.

Shawn Hammonds is a great Country singer/songwriter. I think programmers are going to be amazed at what this guy is going to offer radio's core P1 listeners. His first release is the self-penned "Everything," shipping October 2nd. Women seem to fall in love with this track as well as Shawn. We're planning a major New Media launch, working with our radio partners to help establish him in the marketplace.

I also hope that we will have a great Heartland single soon. This band has a solid fan base to tap into.

1) Name two young promoters out there that are future superstars.

There's a lot of talent out there, but I'm really proud of a couple of young guys we've got on our staff. Both Jeff Davis in the Southeast and Steve Pleshe on the West Coast bring a ton of radio knowledge as well as a strong desire to learn the record business and the passion to win. I've already spent time on the road, visiting radio with both of these guys, and they are definitely future rock stars! We also have Rick "RJ" Jordan in the Northeast, whom I've already seen in action on the road and he has enormous respect from programmers. Recently we hired veteran promoter, Rosey Fitchpatrick, in the SW. She never sleeps and has years of relationships and is the perfect addition to put the final touch on our field staff. I'm very proud of the team Doc Gonzales and I have assembled at Country Thunder.

2) Give us 5 of your all-time favorite albums and why?

That's impossible to answer. It depends on the mood. I do want Bob Reeves to know that had there been no Beatles, there would have never been a Ziggy Stardust!

We had some great projects at BMR - I loved Taylor's album, Ingram's studio album, listen to the backside of that album when you have time, and I believe Trisha's was musically, one of the best thought out projects released last year.

Guess, if I was stranded on a desert island Jim, I would want to have The White Album on my iPod (and a solar battery). Musically it lasted through and represented so many years of my life and I still hear new things in the arrangements when I listen to it today.

3) Are you a tech-head, a dinosaur (didn't I see the "Best of Grand Funk Railroad" 8-track laying on your backseat) or are you in the middle? Would you say, get up at 3am for the new iPhone for instance? Do you have one of those silly phones sticking out of your ears?

I have been accused of being a computer geek at times, but I'm not the first to run out and buy the latest gadgets. I look at technology though and think, "How will this enhance and help us achieve our goals, at what cost relative to impact. I'm proud that in 1998, Young-Olsen was offering content to radio stations for their websites, in-car NASCAR racing, artists chats, etc. Some stations used this to pursue clients and sponsors, others, just for content, but I felt it helped set us apart as leaders at the time. We were way out front.

As far as new media, count me in. The Country Music industry has only scratched the surface with social networking, texting, database marketing, and online portals. We're going to see gold and platinum downloads becoming more common place sooner rather than later!