10 Questions with ... Karen Tallier

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I have been to the pits of hell and back - well, not really.

Before my days in country music and Nashville, I had a career path heading towards the fashion and modeling industry, but with music as my passion, while in college at the University of Florida I applied for a promotions assistant opportunity at Rock 104. After graduating college, I moved to Hollywood, CA working at an up-and-coming commercial talent agency. Shortly after, I moved away from the hectic trade of commercial booking and into a boutique music PR firm, which is where I found my niche.

I had my first taste of working in country music when I was in L.A. working at the boutique firm. At the time, their country client roster included Billy Ray Cyrus, Sara Evans and Lila McCann, to name a few. The excellent reference from that experience helped me land a great job at RCA Label Group in the publicity department when I moved to Nashville in 2000, after the birth of my beautiful little girl and the love of my life, Zoë. I really relished my time at the label, but when my old company from L.A. picked up Deana Carter, they asked me to set up a Nashville office for them. After a few months, I realized I could do it myself and so LOUDMOUTHpr was born.

My current client roster includes: Broken Bow Records, Stoney Creek Records, Bryan White, Gwen Sebastian and Hollywood Yates. However, please note, we are always open to new clients!!

1) So, how does a nice girl from Long Island end up in Music City anyway - did you actually grow up listening to Country music on Long Island?

Honestly, I ask myself that question from time to time. Being raised most of my life in NY, then moving to FL after my father retired from NYPD, going to college at University of Florida and then moving to L.A., Nashville was the LAST place I ever thought I would call home. However, when it came down to finding a safe place to raise my child and still follow my dream, Nashville fit the bill. My immediate family all moved here too, so I have a great support system and we are all very close.

As far as listening to Country music on Long Island, well, believe it or not, one of my most favorite artists I would listen to repeatedly, besides Kenny Rogers, was Juice Newton. I LOVED Juice Newton!!! So yes, in between Donna Summers, Boy George and Billy Joel, I would listen to Juice Newton. Not to mention one of my all-time favorite songs of my childhood is Johnny Paycheck singing, "Take This Job and Shove It."

2) Here's an obvious question - why did you call your PR/Marketing agency LOUDMOUTH - and how did it come about?

When I worked at RLG, (now Sony) on a regular basis I would be told to "keep it down." So, when it came time to pick out a name for my own company it was easy. I had originally intended on calling my company Big Mouth pr, but my friend, Pino Squillace, told me he thought it was "too negative" and insisted on "loud." I love the name of my company and I have had so much fun branding it. It's always an icebreaker when making calls to small newspapers/radio stations around the country. Some people just don't believe I am actually a LOUDMOUTH, but I let them know that it's not so much that I am "loud" but what I say speaks volumes. All of my life I have gotten in trouble for my mouth, I'm happy to have finally found a way to make some money from it!

3) How were you welcomed here in Nashville, and how long did it take to feel at home?

Honestly, the first experience I had with a Nashvillian made me want to turn back around and leave. I was at a bar speaking to a typical "country boy" that literally passed out while talking to me and he passed out standing up! He just fell to the floor! I went home and seriously started to reconsider if this was the place I was meant to live and raise my child. Soon after, I started working at the label and realized, obviously, that there are normal people in Nashville. I worked for the best of the best at RLG and soaked up a lot of good knowledge of the industry but I didn't start to feel at home until I started working on my own. I believe to make it here in Nashville the key is consistency and your fuel has to be passion. It takes a lot to prove yourself in this town and the only way is to do it is over time. After nine years of living here and over six years of being "The LOUDMOUTH," I can say I have built some very strong relationships and I do feel very much at home.

4) You started your career in fashion? Tell us about that, and do you still work in that field? I see in your bio that you were in a Tracy Byrd video, or at least your butt was.

I love the fashion and modeling industry but it's tough - you REALLY need to have some thick skin. Just because I have a loudmouth doesn't mean I am NOT sensitive. What that industry taught me was to always be looking beyond the trend. That is a great lesson and I am grateful for the experience. And yes, I was in the Tracy Byrd video but only to help the label's video budget. Everyone at the label made fun of me for it, so I swore off ever helping in that department again! Still, to this day, I have never shown that video to my parents!

5) Can you give us a snapshot of an average day in the life of Karen Tallier?

Lots of our readers don't really know what an independent publicist does.

An average day of "The LOUDMOUTH"? That's hard to say as each day is always different, but always fun and creative. Writing, talking, researching, updating, pitching, planning and networking are all part of being a publicist. I edit bios, update talk points, write press releases, pitch to local, regional and national media outlets- a lot of times I am taking little things and spinning them into something more. PR is all about information. The more information I have the more I can do with it. I work each day to build awareness for my clients and with so many media forms these days the outlets seem endless. The trick is to optimize and really target the audience of your client. It's a constant task in my daily life. Another constant for me seems to be my camera and my Flip camera- I never leave home without them! Content is KING!!

6) You work with a big roster, your own artists plus the Broken Bow/Stoney Creek people. That's a lot, but you must have a lot that you are excited about for 2010. Tell us some of the things that you are fired up about.

I am so excited for 2010! BBR and Stoney Creek are both great and passionate labels to work with. We have so many new artists coming out with some AMAZING music in the New Year. I am very grateful to be apart of these up and coming artists careers.

7) You have worked for a large company (SONY), and now your own firm. What are some of the pros and cons of both?

The pros for working independently definitely outweigh the cons. I love having the creative freedom to wear more than just one hat. At the label, every piece of the pie was accounted for and there wasn't much room to stretch. The only con to working on your own and being away from the corporate side is the medical benefits! I really miss those benefits!

8) You've been working in the entertainment industry for 18 years, and you have pretty much done it all- radio, TV, web and print. You've also done work in PR, radio promotions, modeling and talent scouting. What do you consider your strongest suit? And what HAVEN'T you done that you would still like to do?

My strongest suit would have to be in branding and the great thing is I have been able to it in every position I have held. Taking a brand, deciding its audience and then targeting the consumer is just basic marketing. What is different is the venue. I have loved each and every job experience I have had, but I still have more in my life that I want to accomplish. I want to be a published author and want my own radio talk show. I want to be Oprah (the skinny and white version). And while we're on the subject of things I would still like to do, well, I would still like to win the lottery.

9) In your PR/Marketing firm you work with many artists, but you also work with stars from outside of the music world, like Hollywood Yates (formerly on American Gladiators). Is there a preference in what kinds of clients you work with?

My only preference I have with the kind of clients I work with is for them to be good, honest and passionate people, not to mention talented. I have been very lucky to work with some awesome clients, but I have had my share of some doozies. Over the years, I have learned to choose my clients wisely since they really become part of my life thread.

10) What is the oddest request that you've ever received from a client?

I can't say that I have had an odd request and I hope I didn't just jinx myself. One client that stands out in my mind, though, was a rapper I briefly worked with. Every time they would come into my office I would have to pull up urbandictionary.com and have it handy throughout our conversation. We had a lot of fun with that site. I have to say, it was accurate. They also were the only clients to pay my retainer fee in cash.

1) You have an extra tooth? Please explain.

The only way to explain my extra tooth is to point out that I am just special- plain and simple! Actually, my grandfather was born with a full set of teeth, so it's genetic.

2) What do you miss most about New York?

I miss the people. New Yorkers are blunt and to the point. You always know where you stand and they never say, "bless your heart."

3) You have a love for Labrador retrievers- why are they special? You think you can ever find a guy to be as loyal as a retriever?

I have always, ALWAYS, wished that I could kiss my dog and he would turn into my prince. I will never find a guy a loyal as my retriever. Never!