10 Questions with ... Jesse James Dupree

1. Thanks for answering our 10 Questions Jesse. Where does this interview find you and what’s on your agenda for today?

I’m just back from visiting the Cumulus cluster in Albuquerque. I am in Atlanta.

6am - As with every morning, I wake up having an anxiety attack that this has all been a big dream, and that I have to go pour concrete all day. Then as soon as I realize that it's all real, I take as big a bite out of life’s ass as I possibly can!

Every day in our office is INSANE! Between the launch of Mixer Radio, Jesse James Bourbon, the Devil's Devil Cinnamon whiskey, The Full Throttle Saloon and Pappy Hoel Campground, The Bloody Nose Saloon, Deadwood Distilling Company, the Trimble, TN Distillery, booking Jackyl’s 100 shows a year, consulting the Harley-Davidson Motor Company and the VFW organization, it is GAME ON! We are actually working hard to prove to Harley-Davidson that radio is still the way to go if you align with the right stations in a manner that will address the company’s pain points. It is more and more important for radio to figure out how to quantify the results it gets for clients, and we do our best to help ensure ROI for Harley-Davidson with radio. We have annual H-D/radio campaigns where stations from across the country broadcast from Sturgis, and for eight weeks prior to the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, the stations make sure that H-D owns the market. It’s a great way for stations to create a great connection and integrity with its “Blue Collar” listeners.

2. Can you give us a brief look at how Jackyl came together and some of the career highlights you are most proud of with the band?

Jackyl was the last band to be signed when the music business was fat and happy! John Kalodner pulled up in a limo, in his solid white suit and signed us under two conditions: One, we stay on the road, and two, I had to lose 7 pounds, because he wanted me to look hungry. So I didn’t eat until the album went platinum. We went into a Longhorn steak house with a chainsaw, where George Cappellini was having lunch with several high level program directors, and cut their table up. The patrons didn’t care too much for the stunt and filed a class action law suit that cost us $1,000,000. We played Woodstock 94, set a Guinness Book World Record for 100 shows in 50 days, set a record for 21 shows in 24 hours, released ”Locked and Loaded” with Brian Johnson from AC/DC, cut a couple tracks with DMC (Run DMC) and we’re still touring strong!

3. Are you still out there touring with the band or is it more of a solo thing for you now?

Jackyl still plays approximately 100 shows annually. We have always tied into radio in ways that drive additional dollars for the stations around all of our shows. We have great annual partnerships, and regularly tie-in H-D, VFW (Unmet Needs Program) and the Jesse James Bourbon.

4. When I read your Bio I think…this guy is quite a renaissance man with every venture you are involved with. Where does this entrepreneurial spirit come from?

I learned from the best: GEFFEN RECORDS. That was my college, and people like JDK and Warren Christensen taught me the value of relationships. I've called Warren at least once a year for the last 10 years to tell him that I love him for just that.

5. In 2007, you created Mighty Loud Entertainment. Tell us about it and the mission there?

When I realized that the music business (as we knew it) was a thing of the past, I went to NYC and met with Dave Lauri at J. Walter Thompson, who has been the marketing agency for Ford for 150 years. I asked them to educate me on this word “Branding.” You have to remember that it wasn’t that long ago that Eric Clapton was criticized for touring with Sears as his sponsor. The Black Crowes left the ZZ Top tour because it was sponsored by Miller Beer, and Aerosmith was crucified for doing a GAP commercial. I embraced the concept of branding and started partnering with corporate radio stations that needed to generate NTR (which was a new word for them), and cutting out the promoters so that the stations made the promoter split on our shows. That’s where I learned about the sales-side of radio, and then created the Full Throttle Broadcast in Sturgis. That was 20 years ago. Stations like KQRC, WJJO, WIIL Rock, 96 Rock, Lone Star and The Eagle, etc., all come and broadcast annually in August. We have a great team with my partner Sterling Bacon along with Colleen Taylor, Sam Tingle and Ariel Ufret, all industry veterans and we get it all done! We market, consult, produce, distribute and still find time to enjoy some great bourbon.

6. In 2010 you launched Jesse James Spirits. Tell us all the spirit lines you have and how’s that biz doing for you?

We have Jesse James Single Barrel Tennessee Whiskey, Jesse James American Outlaw Bourbon, Jesse James Honey Bourbon, Jesse James Spiced Bourbon and the Devil's Devil Cinnamon Whiskey. We’ve sold 150,000 cases and counting. The liquor business is going through now what the music business went through 20 years ago. The only difference is the music biz execs were much better than the liquor distributors at feeding you BS and making you like it while you swallow it. Or maybe it's just that I am older and a little wiser to it all.

7. You were also an executive producer and appeared in the TV show “Full Throttle Saloon.” What was the origin of that show?

Executive Producer is just a fancy way of saying "Manager of Expectations." The radio broadcast proved that there is an audience at home that wants to know what is happing at the last Fantasy Island for adults left in America. This year is the 80th Anniversary of this wild-ass event. It’s great radio, and the TV show had a great run up until the original Full Throttle burned down. We are back up and running bigger than life and twice as ugly!! The station broadcast list each year continues to grow.

8. Now let’s turn your attention to radio. What radio stations and personalities did you listen to when you were growing up?

My parents lost everything when I was just turning a teenager. We moved to Alabama and they bought a little cafe. My Dad could not even boil water. We had a jukebox, and that's where I heard Joe Tex, James Brown, The Stones and Deep Purple etc.. When we moved back to Atlanta, I used to listen to 96 Rock. I loved the King Biscuit Flower Hour.

9. You recently launched the datafication system Mixer for all the Midwest Family Broadcasting radio stations. Can you explain what Mixer does and how this all came about?

Right after the consolidation at radio, I was hearing hearing common complaints from my radio friends across the country. Research had been taken away from most stations, and when research was being made available, the stations we’re having to hand over their own databases, because Troy Research had to call 270K land lines in Dallas to find 300 P-1s. Looking ahead, it was obvious that cell phones were only becoming more prevalent and smart phones were on the way. I’d become friends with Randy Hawke, who was one of the most forward-thinking PDs, and we decided (along with an unnamed industry heavyweight) to build the future of radio. MIXER is the truest real-time research. It replaces all of the a-la-carte services that radio uses, with one log-in and with only one database. We make terrestrial radio interactive. I would like to think that 12 years ago, Randy and I were thinking “Datafication” and ”Attribution.” But really, we were just thinking ahead using common sense and incredible patent attorneys!!! I love radio, and it’s still the number one form of discovery. It’s hanging on by the skin of its teeth, but I believe MIXER can help radio reinvent itself and reclaim its dominant place with listeners and advertisers.

10. Finally, with everything you have on your plate, what do you do for fun when you are not in your “work” mode?

Why would you wish such a thing as me not working?? What have I done to you to even make you think such? My work is play and I have great people in my life, and I plan on leaving a stain! And I do like riding Harley-Davidson motorcycles.