10 Questions with ... Suzanne Alexander

NAME:Suzanne Alexander TITLE:Host/Writer COMPANY:Great American Country BORN:Long Island, NY RAISED:Long Island, NY

1. You started in radio before moving on to your current position at GAC, why did you make the switch?

First of all Program Directors like Jim Asker, left a sour taste in my mouth for the job and I thought getting away from that would be the best thing for my health! Seriously, I've always wanted to go into television. More specifically, country television. My goal while doing radio evolved into doing country broadcasting on a bigger scale and I felt that television was that next step for me.

2. You grew up on Long Island, not exactly the Country music capital of the world, when did you gravitate towards Country music and why?

Ha! I get this a lot. People can't figure out how in the world I got turned on to country including my parents! I started listening to country as a kid, although I didn't know it was country. I was a strange kid. I was listening to Crystal Gayle, Dolly, Everly Brothers, Kenny Rogers when I was in grade school. Pretty much all the crossover artists exposed me to country music early on. When I was old enough to drive my first car could only get AM Radio and I discovered country radio on WHN, a station out of NYC. That's when I found Randy, and Reba, Don Williams and I was hooked. All of my friends thought it was a phase and thought I would "grow out of it". Never happened.

3. How did you get on GAC?

A lot of luck, being in the right place at the right time. And you know the saying when God closes one door there's another waiting to be opened, or something like that! I was doing radio on this station that wasn't country in Nashville. I was on air for about 2 months and I told them I was leaving. I said I came all the way to Nashville to work country and I wanted to try getting work at a different station. A non-compete was enforced and I was forced to find work else where in Nashville. I landed at Jones covering for Dallas' syndicated radio show. She also happened to be doing a television request show for the network that was just starting to get their TV network up and running. So, I filled in for her on radio and then eventually on TV. After a series of subbing in for them, I was asked to do it full time after Bobbie Eakes went back to working on her TV-soap show.

4. What do you like the most about the job and what do you like the least?

I love the gig. It's like doing a radio show in front of the television except more concentrated on network promotion and artist information. I love that I get to get out with fans and artists at these music festivals across the country. It's great to be out there and experience that life and to be able to bring that to the fans that don't get to enjoy it. For example the CMA Music Festival is something I love to cover. As many people that get to come and live it there are those at home who haven't but we can deliver it right to them. Least about the gig? I don't know, honestly, if there's anything I dislike. Well, okay. I am known to over prep. I just do, always have. When we're out covering an event where I am interviewing 24 artists a day, doing 5 minute interviews and then I'm asked to do a long form interview (30 minutes) with another artist in the same day, well, I don't like that. It's sometimes difficult to keep who did what for so many artists all in my head. I like to have the time to be prepared.

5. Is there an artist interview that stands out as a favorite? Artists that stand out as far as doing interviews and spending time?

Well, everyone knows I love my Reba! And I had the opportunity to fly out to LA to her show and sit down on the set and interview her and the rest of the cast. That was surreal for me. I felt very Entertainment Tonight. HA! But as far as an artist that we have come in on a regular basis? There are plenty. I love hangin' with Keith Anderson. I love getting Gretchen time. There are some moments that are so real and you feel like the cameras have disappeared and for that time it feels very real. Jake Owen is a new guy who has such great energy. He's great to talk to and just pours out passion and love for the music and living his dream. It's great to see that. And I know that comes through for the fans too.

6. GAC went through an ownership change in the last year or so. Has that fueled some of the strides that they have seemed to have made as a company?

Yes, completely. No offense to our other owners. I loved them but they took us as far as they could. It was a passing of the baton. It was time to make the leap to go bigger and to be competitive which is what we're doing. I think that the fans notice and the industry and it's a great feeling to be a part of it. I think we all, everyone involved in GAC, have such a sense of pride.

7. What is some of the new music, new artists that you are listening to and that you are high on?

Like I said in question number 5, Jake Owen is a great new talent. How in the world as his age did he write "Startin' With Me"? Really? I think the album shows this guy can be fun, no brainer stuff, but when he's ready to go deep, lookout. I also dig Eric Church, Trent Tomlinson. These guys not only sing but it's their songwriting that blows me away. Trent's "One Wing In The Fire" is so well crafted and emotional! I think Taylor Swift has an obvious major career ahead of her. Ashley Monroe reminds me of that expression "like butta". Love her voice. Danielle Peck sounds to me very much like Shania, and I love Shania's vocals! I can go on, but I can fill pages about some of the new music.

8. How is the GAC playlist compiled and can you play anything you like, say if I have a video out and ask you to play it, can you play it for me?

Ha. Hardly. We have, just like radio, our music director Tony Travoto, and our head of programming, Sarah Trahern and Ed Hardy. And it's that committee of people that make those decisions. Probably best cause as you know Jim, since I was your music director at one time, I can't say no! But if there is a video that has been already added to our playlist and I feel that I'd like to play it in a show, then that's something that isn't difficult to do.

9. Who have some of your personal mentors been in the business?

I have had the opportunity to work with Lorianne Crook doing several shows for GAC. That very first time stepping next to her in front of the camera was a moment I stopped to take in. I used to tape shows on the old TNN Network. Lorianne, Katie Haas. I loved those guys and watched those shows. I still have those old shows on vhs somewhere at my mom's house. Lorianne has been great; she's given me some advice about execution and delivery when it comes to on air.

10. If you had a chance to do anything, what would be your dream job?

Dream job? Funny, I always thought as I kid that I would get to voice one of those National Geographic Specials, the kind we watched as kids in the library. Maybe it was the Mutual Of Omaha wildlife specials. I used to think I'd want to go out there in the wild and help shoot them, but I think being the studio to voice one would be good enough for me! And a little time on the E Channel would work for me too! I'd love to branch out to do more entertainment news.

1. Do you get fan mail? Do you answer it?

Unfortunately mail that comes through for me through our website goes off to somewhere else. Headquarters in Knoxville, TN I believe. I'd love to get it sent directly to me and yes I definitely would answer all of them. Every once in a while I'll get an email forwarded to me and I'll be able to email back.

2. Do you get free clothes now that you're a TV star?

Man, do people think that? Really? Maybe some people do but I don't. The network has a stylist, I guess they don't trust my sense of style! Ha, but they have someone who shops and the clothes stay in a wardrobe room at the studio where we shoot.

3. Do you get recognized a lot now that you're on TV? Do you miss the anonymity of radio?

I really don't get recognized that much but when it does happen it's a strange thing. It's very uncomfortable when it happens while I'm like shopping for underwear or in the doctors office in a comprising position at that point yes, radio is a much more welcomed format!

4. Now that you work with the same company that owns the Food Network, can you set us up with dinner with Rachel Ray and Emeril?

I know that I can get tickets to their shows. But getting to sit at Emeril's table is another thing. I guess I could always go to bat to see if the company would let me but you'd have to have some "sob story" to get it done! Ha!

5. What Hollywood star would play you in the Suzanne Alexander story?

First of all, I really need to do something crazy and newsworthy to get a story about my life. I'm thinking Billy Holiday'ish. I mean that's a story! But if I could drum up some controversary, I'd like Julia Roberts to do it. Just cause I literally have a mouth that's very big in size. I've been asked if I have more teeth then the average person. That's not right is it?

6. Are you really running the Country Music Marathon?

Now, you see how rumor's start! No, I'm not crazy. 26.2 miles is just not something I can see putting my poor, feeble body through. I honestly don't know how people do it. And for those who do, and can do it, I have nothing but the utmost respect for them. Me, on the other hand, will run the half! 13.1 are enough of a challenge for me. Running is something I've recently discovered in the last year. I ran last years Country Music ½ and was planning to run Disney's until I suffered a stress fracture. But after some healing time and a lot of praying I'm back in the sneakers and looking forward to this years Country Music ½. It's a blast and if I can do it, anyone can! It'll be great to have Sara Evans and Keith Anderson play this year. The energy of the crowd is phenomenal!

Let me say thanks to AllAccess.com for getting me these questions, I've only been asking to do the "10 Questions" for the last 5 years, better late then never right? And thanks for the use of your site. I couldn't do my prep and writing for the shows without the info and music provided on the site. It's a huge help for getting the work done! Jimmy, see you on the running trail!