-
10 Questions with ... Charese Fruge
July 23, 2007
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. -
NAME:Charese FrugeTITLE:PDSTATION:KYSR (STAR 98.7)COMPANY:Clear ChannelBORN:08/26 at Moosa Memorial Hospital in Eunice, LouisianaRAISED:Eunice, LA
1) What Do You View as the most important issue facing radio today?
Recreating our radio stations on our Web Sites. The web is the future, how do we make our extension of the brand and our brand one and the same?
2) What's the biggest change you'd like to see happen in the business?
A more effective and accurate form of measurement.
3) What is your favorite radio station outside of the market?
Z-100 in New York. I love the vibe of New York, and I love the vibe of that station. I feel like I'm at TRL half the time when I am listening to that station and everything is an event. The last time I was there they were world premiering the Shakira/Beyonce record. It made me fall in love with it and trust me when I tell you I am more of a Ray Lamontagne kind of girl. They are tapped in to that city and you definitely feel the pulse of it.
4) What's your take on current music?
The Singer Songwriter fad is IN! We are so lucky right now because the music for Adult radio is amazing! There is so much to choose from. It's difficult being so passionate about music right now because I want to play it all, but I still have to play the hits if I am going to manipulate Arbitron. It's also great because we get to see the results with Adult artists. We target the only demo left still actually buying records. The rest are stealing or sharing files.
5) What's the best concert you've been to so far this year and why?
John Mayer's last show at Madison Square Garden in February, it was sort of like a homecoming for him. It was the last show of the first leg of the tour and he sold it out immediately (That's a 17,000 person venue). He was in an amazing head space and the crowd sang every song and he played like a guitar legend that night. It was better than seeing Bon Jovi and the Boss at Giant Stadium..."Oh Yes I did!"
6) If you could add any one full time position to your budget with no questions asked, what would it be?
A Webmaster for Star to recreate everything we do on the station on our Web Site.
7) Tell Us What Music we would find on your iPod right now and what is it you enjoy about this particular selection.
Well, the entire Better Than Ezra collection will always grace my iPod. Those are my boys from New Orleans, and all the songs are like the soundtrack to the story of my professional life.
They are one of the reasons I am so passionate about music. You will also find the unreleased live version of Rocco Deluca's "I Trust You To Kill Me." It's possibly one of the sexiest songs I have ever heard.
You will find Ray Lamontagne's last two records because I am obsessed with his lyrics and so in love with the character he has created by writing them (stalker).
The first Lifehouse record "No Name Face." The most played song on my Ipod is a song called "Breathing" by Lifehouse. Lyrics: "I am hanging on every word you're saying. Even if you don't want to speak tonight that's alright with me. 'Cause I want nothing more than to sit outside your (heaven's) door and listen to you breathing, that's where I want to be." Who writes that shit????? That kid is brilliant!!! What woman wouldn't melt if a guy actually said that to her? The entire album is like that.
And the new album "Who We Are" is the same way, song after song after song. All heart wrenching, rip you apart, make you melt, peel me off the ceiling songs. They should seriously consider making these songs in the form of a pill, bottling them and selling them over the counter in pharmacies across America. You will also find the new Maroon 5 (I bought all 430k copies the first week out), Incubus, Linkin Park, and of course....the entire John Mayer collection, including the Trio album.
8) Please describe the best promotion you have ever been a part of.
We just did a "Star Lounge" with Brandi Carlile on the helipad at the top of the US Bank building in downtown LA, 75 stories high, it's the tallest building West of the Mississippi and the one that got blown up in "Men in Black." I am not going to lie. I did NOT want to go up there, and neither did Brandi, but she was a trooper and so was I and it ended up being such an amazing experience. The view was insane, and it was so peaceful and so surreal. Most people where I come from will never even get a view of the Hollywood Hills, much less get to see the view from the top of one of the tallest buildings in the country. It was pretty breathtaking and gave me a different perspective on a lot of things. To see the performance, click here.
9) What is the most rewarding promotion or activity your station has ever been involved with to benefit a charity?
Star does the "Lounge For Life" in October, A benefit for "City of Hope" and Breast Cancer research. It's an amazing cause. My father's mother died of breast cancer and I never knew her. My sister is also in remission right now. I know so many amazing women who have been affected by this disease. It's one of the most rewarding events I have been a part of. My first year was last year. We had Train, Jewel and Ray Lamontagne, and Kiefer Sutherland hosted. It was my first big event with Star.
10) What is the one truth that has held constant throughout your career?
Choose your battles wisely. Learn to invest your energy in things you can control. The rest....you can't control.
Bonus Questions
1) What are your three favorite artists or songs of this year?
Well, this was actually 2006, but John Mayer's "Waiting On The World To Change." I think it was a pivotal moment for him and for his fans when it came out. It marked the transition he made from being a witty and talented artist, to channeling his energy into something that will one day classify him as a legend not only as a guitar player, but also as a songwriter.
Lifehouse's "First Time." It's the total package, the perfect Rock song for the summer with words that make women melt. I turn it up as loud as possible every time I hear it in my car, and I have yet to get tired of it. It's in power rotation on my CD player.
Patty Griffin's "Heavenly Day." It's the most beautiful song that gives you a visual of sitting in your back yard under sunny skies with a nice breeze blowing and not a care in the world. It's the perfect love song that was actually written about her dog. It is true perfection.
2) What is the best advice you would give to young programmers?
Don't operate with the red flag mentality. There's nothing worse than someone who's always saying no, or who doesn't like the idea unless it's theirs. Don't pretend to know all the answers and don't be afraid to ask questions. Most importantly, choose your battles wisely.
3) What's your favorite TV show?
"Entourage." I am ADDICTED to it. I LOVE Ari....he is my hero. .I want to be him when I grow up. It is so LA.....so LA.
4) What's the Best Piece of Advice anyone's ever given you?
LOL!!!! Two of my favorite radio people in the whole world both operate under the same motto. It's the reason they are both well respected and so successful. They have both said this to me on numerous occasions and oddly enough, in the exact same words, "Stop effin' around and get it done!!!" It keeps me on my toes. (Oh yeah, those two people are Michael Martin and Pat Paxton).
-
-