10 Questions with ... Phyllis Stark

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

Phyllis Stark joined All Access on Monday, November 5th in the newly-created role of Sr. Editor/Nashville. Her career has included a 17-year stint at Billboard, as well as more recent jobs on the digital media side with The E.W. Scripps Company and Cox Media Group. She has also been a blogger and music feature writer for MSN.com, contributing editor of CMA Close Up magazine, and Exec. Editor/Country Music at Radio-Info.com. As a freelance writer, her byline has appeared in Music Row, The Hollywood Reporter, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Nash Country Weekly magazine, Nashville Arts & Entertainment magazine, New Jersey Monthly magazine, ABC Radio Networks, Taste of Country, The Boot, and others. Already settled into her new role at All Access, Phyllis took some time to answer "10 Questions" for our readers.

1. Phyllis, welcome to All Access! This is your first week on the job, and we are so excited to have you on the team. Can you tell us what appealed to you about joining All Access?

Thanks for the warm welcome. The fact that All Access has been around for nearly a quarter of a century and has been involved in the Nashville music industry for 17 years was enormously appealing, as was the fact that there had only been two Nashville editors in all that time. It obviously is a place people enjoy working and where they stick around for a long time. I also knew how much it was respected in the industry, because I have long been one of the people who respected it.

2. Let's back up for a moment and discuss your career history. When did you get in to the business, and what was your launching point in the industry?

I worked for a radio research company after I graduated from college, then moved to New York to report on the radio industry for Billboard. I learned a ton from Sean Ross (now with Edison Research), who became one of my mentors. I ended up covering radio as part of my beat for the next 17 years, first in New York, and later in Nashville for both Billboard and its sister radio publication, Airplay Monitor.

3. We know you have an extensive background in editorial writing. Can you share with us your history of writing for the industry, both in consumer-facing and trade publication terms?

I left Billboard after six years as Nashville Bureau Chief and worked for the site Radio-Info.com. We published a twice-weekly Country newsletter (its logo still lives on as my Twitter avatar) and had a ton of fun covering everything from serious topics, like what happens when a weather catastrophe strikes on a weekend when many radio stations are automated, to fun stuff like stories about artist radio tours gone awry and radio remotes from hell. That's also where I started the "Anatomy of a Hit" series, which takes an insider's look at improbable and hard-fought hits and how the label team battled them up the charts.

On the consumer-facing side, I spent three years working for Microsoft as the Country music blogger and feature writer for MSN.com, followed by jobs working on the digital side for two major media companies, The E.W. Scripps Company (and Journal Broadcast Group, prior to its merger with Scripps) and, most recently, Cox Media Group. At Scripps, I was the Digital Exec. Producer for National Content, overseeing the Country music site Nashville Edge and NowTrending.com, which covered viral, trending, and human-interest stories as well as hard news. At Cox, I was Sr. Content Editor for Rare Country. In between those last two jobs, I spent two years working with the team at the Country Music Association as contributing editor for their Close Up magazine. I also wrote a weekly column for Billboard's Country Update publication from 2013 through 2017.

4. So much of what happens at All Access is based on relationships with radio, records, and other industry personalities. Can you tell us about your personal philosophy on networking and how it has helped you elevate your career?

Well, I've been coming to Country Radio Seminar every year since about the mid-'90s. That's a fantastic place to network, and I've made a lot of friends there. I also went through the Leadership Music program here in Nashville, spent three years on the Country Music Association Board Of Directors, and more than 15 years on the Industry Advisory Committee for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Those experiences were so fulfilling for me, both professionally and personally. I can't say enough about the amazing work the St. Jude team does in conjunction with that committee, and the stations that do St. Jude Radiothons have always held a very special place in my heart.

5. You also held the position of VP/A&R for Robbins/Nashville. How do you think your experience in A&R will contribute to the All Access platform and its products?

That was a detour from my journalism career for sure, but one I'm very happy to have made. Working for an independent record label was a great way to see how the sausage was made, if you will, and learn the industry from another angle. It also allowed me to network with a lot of publishers, song pluggers, songwriters and people in other facets of the industry that I hadn't crossed paths with as much before. I believe all of that made me better able to report on the industry, because my experience became more well-rounded. I also saw firsthand the struggles involved in getting airplay on new acts at a label that was new to Nashville (although well-established in the Pop and Dance music worlds).

6. You are stepping into some large shoes, as you are taking over for RJ Curtis following his six-year tenure here at All Access. What did you learn from RJ during your brief transition time that you will take forward in to the role?

RJ has been a friend for a very long time and was instrumental in bringing me to All Access. That dude defines the term "beloved" in this industry, and he's both a class act and a hard act to follow. That said, I'm going to work my hardest to build on his legacy, and that of my pal Jim Asker, who was the OG All Access staffer in Nashville and built this business from scratch.

7. As you begin to look around behind the curtains of All Access, what part of the job most excites you?

In recent years, I had jobs that didn't put me in regular contact with radio, and I really missed those relationships. I'm excited about the opportunity to reconnect with the people I know and get to know some of the newer people coming up in this business and this format.

8. Are there any products or features that you are looking to add or elevate? What will be your first signature move as Sr. Editor here at All Access Nashville?

I'm eager to get back to writing a weekly column, so look for that to launch soon. I've got a ton of other ideas, too, so watch for those. And, one of my first moves will be hiring a new Associate Editor, who will also have very big shoes to fill replacing Monta Vaden.

9. Let's take a moment to talk about the All Access team. You've known several staffers for a long while, and you've even worked with some of them in the past. Did this factor into your decision to join All Access? What is your perception of the team dynamics within the All Access organization thus far?

Yes, I've known Joel Denver from the radio convention circuit for a lot of years, and he's always been one of my favorite people to run into and such a wonderfully positive and supportive person. Ditto for Dave Hoeffel and Sam Weaver. Jeff Silberman and I worked together at Airplay Monitor. John Parker and I worked together at Robbins. So, this feels a bit like a family reunion. I look forward to celebrating All Access' 25th anniversary with this team in 2020!

10. We have only had a few days with you so far, and we would love to know more about you, personally. Can you tell us Ten Fun Phyllis Facts?

• This will come as no surprise, but I'm extremely passionate about Country music. My first Country concert was Restless Heart, with Rodney Crowell as the opening act.
• I once sang "Friends in Low Places" at a karaoke bar in Singapore.
• I grew up fishing but can't stand fish. My friends describe my palate as "basic." Don't even get me started on avocados.
• I have been known to show up at Waffle House in formal wear.
• My first job was renting rafts, surfboards, umbrellas, and chairs on the beach. I was 14.
• I have a vast collection of watches. Daylight saving time is my worst nightmare.
• I'm like the Pied Piper of the dog park. Random dogs follow me on a walk as if I've lined my pockets with bacon.
• I spent many years enduring horrible travel karma. If something went wrong on a flight, I was on it. This may all end up in a book one day.
• I have three middle names.
• I went to school intending to become a lawyer. But, when I started working at the school newspaper, my career path changed for the better.