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10 Questions with ... Jay Cruze
March 9, 2009
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NAME:Jay CruzeTITLE:Operations Manager / Program DirectorMARKET:Chattanooga, TNCOMPANY:Clear ChannelBORN:November 15th in Clarksville, TNRAISED:Boaz, AL - look it up on Google maps I swear it exists :)
Please outline your career so far:
Gosh too long to mention them all!
I started in 1993 at a small AM daytime 1,000-watt southern gospel station in Boaz, AL AM 1300 WBSA. Gotta love JD Sumner & the Stamps! I went from there to WQEN/Birmingham, then to WSSX/Charleston and WZNY/Augusta. Got into country music in 2003 when I moved back to Birmingham as APD of WDXB where I was the OM Doug Hamand's assistant. He literally kicked my ass into shape! He's the best! After that got my 1st PD gig at WBUL/Lexington, KY where, thanks to my buddy Drew, I became a Bourbon connoisseur. From there I went to be OM of the CC cluster in Panama City and PD of WPAP, and that leads me here to Chattanooga.
1) You knew very early on in life that you wanted a career in radio, right? Did you ever give any thought to doing anything else?
Heck no! When I was 7 years old, I figured out that you could take those old Walkman headphones and plug them into a mic jack on an old stereo system and the headphones turned into a microphone. I had my own little radio station that my mom still has the tapes of to this day. The station was WDAM and I had my sister sing my weather jingle, "here's your damn weather." I would always close out every forecast with "it's 84 on your DAMN radio." God, I was a dorky kid!
2) You have moved around quite a bit in the last few years (Birmingham, Lexington, Panama City, Chattanooga). What has been your favorite city so far? Which one was your least favorite?
Yes I have, but thankfully it has been with the same company and moving up! Knock on wood! As far as favorite goes, I learned so much in Birmingham and got to work with and learn a ton from GREAT group of people like Doug Hamand, Tommy Chuck, Steve Versnick, Tom Hanrahan and many others. I love that town, but honestly I would have to say my favorite personally is where I am now. My daughter lives here in Chattanooga and getting to take her to school, go eat lunch with her at the drop of a hat, go to all of her games and just pretty much get to be a dad, is priceless. That and get to work at this heritage station with legendary people in our business is truly a blessing!
Least favorite? Probably Augusta. Don't get me wrong, I liked the town and made a ton of lifelong friends there, but looking back I hated who I was back then.
3) You took over WUSY this past summer. What has it been like to go into a heritage station with such a huge presence in the market?
Honestly it's hard to describe. I walk in every day and see that glass case with all the CMAs and ACMs then go to my office and think this used to be Hunnicutt's office. The words DON'T F&^K IT UP crosses my mind daily!
Seriously, from day one Dex and all the guys made it feel like home to me. It's clear to see why these guys are so successful! They are pros and quickly became family!
4) If we were coming to Chattanooga for the day and you were our tour guide, where would you take us?
That depends. For a night of fun? We would start out with a good steak at Porter's. After that we would go to the Chattanooga Billiard Club get a few cigars and smoke them in the Havana room over a few glasses of Bourbon. That place is my man cave!
If you are bringing kids we have to go to the aquarium, Rock City and Lake Winnipesaukee.
5) If you could give the record reps one piece of advice that would really help out you, and other programmers, what would it be?
We can't add everything! :)
6) Tell us about three songs that have had a significant impact on your life. Why?
You had to go there huh?
- "My Home's In Alabama." Man no matter where I lived every time I would go home I would pop that in every time I crossed the state line!
- "Life's A Dance." Just because it's so true.
- "Highway 20 Ride" by the Zac Brown Band. This song is my life.
7) You have two children - do they live near you? What activities do y'all do when you are together and have free time?
Yes, they do. I just try to keep up with them! Tanner (10) loves sports of all kinds and can kick my butt at any play station game. Kaylee (8) plays basketball every Saturday morning so that is where you usually can find me. My stepdaughter Kaitlyn is such a girlie girl and makes me play Barbies with her. Did I really just say that out loud?
8) I know that you are very passionate about music. What are you hearing these days that you find exciting?
Darius Rucker's new CD is the best I have heard in a while. He's the real deal and I hope he stays in our format!
Jamey Johnson's new CD is great too. When you think about it our generation didn't have a Waylon, Haggard or Jones until Jamey came along.
9) There is no question that radio is a tumultuous industry to work in these days. If your kids wanted to pursue a career in radio what would you say? What advice would you give any up and comers in this business?
I would do my best to pay them off to go into another business! :)
10) What affect has reality TV had on Country music? Are talents shows like American Idol, Nashville Star, etc. good for the format?
I would say they are better for our format than any other. Look at how many names we have in country that has come from American Idol.
Bonus Questions
1) I know that your first concert was Boyz II Men and M.C. Hammer (Stop, Hammer Time!), but what was the best show you ever attended?
Seriously, you just outed me on that! REALLY!!! LOL. Probably getting to meet Willie Nelson (don't ask about the bus). He was opening for John Fogerty. I got to stand on the side of the stage through the entire show and this guy with a West Virginia hat kept blocking my view. Needless to say I asked him to move. When he turned around I felt like a total JERK- it was Fogerty. He was cool about it though.
2) You have formed some close friendships with quite a few of the regionals over the years. Any dirt you are willing to share on some of those you are friends with (i.e. Jimmy Rector)?
Yeah, I think they have more dirt on me than I do on them so I am not even going there. Rector and I have had tons of interesting times to say the least. There was the John Rich incident in Lexington. One of the best nights EVER! Then there was that one time where I was kicked out of a "Keg in the Closet" show Chesney did in Tuscaloosa. Who doesn't crowd surf at country shows? Rector got me back in! For him to be as ugly as he is, he sure is a good dude!
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