10 Questions with ... Jill Bucco

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

I fell into my radio career by accident. I graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Advertising from the University of Memphis and decided I didn't want to wear a suit every day. I applied to a local radio station in Memphis that I had listened to regularly. Long story short, I was hired as the promo assistant (weren't we all) straight out of college. Soon after that, I found myself on-air for an Alternative station in afternoon drive. Chad Pitt (my now partner in crime and morning show host) was the night jock down the hall on the Pop station. I remember running down there saying, "OMG, what do I do. HELP ME!" He walked me down the hall and gave me a crash course in DJ 101. From that moment on I tried to absorb as much as I could as often as I could by wearing as many hats as I could. Five radio stations and three cities later ... bippity, boppity, boop ... here I am.

1) How would you describe your first radio gig?

Scary. I had no idea what I was doing. I knew I was good at talking. I had always made A's in oral communication and I loved speaking in front of large crowds so I figured, "Why not make a career out of it?" If there's one thing I'm good at, it's talking. I wish I had tape of my first time on the air. We could all sit around and listen to it and drink wine and be mortified. HA!

2) What makes your station unique? How would you compare it to other stations you've worked at?

I've been at Amp Orlando since it flipped. That's why I'm so attached to this station. When you're there at the start of something, you feel like it's your baby. It's been pretty cool to watch AMP grow and succeed the way it has and to have been part of that from the beginning is pretty cool. AMP is a special beast. It's the little engine that could. When you flip a station you never really know for sure what is going to happen, but in this case I think we all expected big things ... we just had a feeling ... It's different from any station I've ever worked for. It's very "me." It's dancey, it's edgy, it has no filter, it's loving, it's accepting, it's funny. 1019 AMP Radio is a station that I'm more than proud to be a part of ... like we always say ... "We are one big party and everyone is invited." That's exactly who we are. It doesn't matter where you are from or who you love or what color you are or how much money you make ... music brings people together and that's what we try to do every day on AMP ... just metaphorically wrap our arms around everyone we can. I'm Italian, I'm a hugger ... that's what we do. If I could hug everyone who ever listened to 1019 AMP Radio, I would.

3) Are you wearing more "hats" than you have in the past?

I don't think anyone in radio wears just one hat anymore. It's just the dynamic of the job. For me, wearing more than one hat just made me learn more. Does it make you feel a little more vulnerable when you try to learn something that you don't know how to do? Sure, but that's what makes us better at what we do. Whenever we have morning show interns and they say to me, "I messed up," my reply is always the same. I've been in radio 18 years and I still mess up. We are human and it's okay to let your listeners hear that. No one expects us to sound perfect; we aren't robots. At the end of the day, it's not about sounding "perfect;" it's about connecting with each other. If that means listeners get to hear me sound like a bumbling idiot sometimes, then so be it, it's the real me and that's who I want our listeners to really know.

4) What are you doing social media-wise?

What aren't we doing social media-wise? I wanted to write Facebook a strongly worded e-mail when they released "stories." I was like, "COME ON!" There's just so much. Stories, snaps, tweets, Instagrams, Facebook posts, Facebook lives ... We do it all. It really is an amazing form of advertising. It's just a no-brainer ... we need social media. It's all about instant gratification. I'll admit when I get on social media, I fly from platform to platform. Let's check Snaps, let's check Insta, let's check Facebook ... dear GOD, where is my glass of wine? It IS fun, though. Although, I'd be lying if I didn't say it's a nice break when you accidentally forget your phone at home from time to time.

P/S.: HOW ON EARTH do people have 82 million followers? Do you have any idea the pressure I would feel If I knew there were 82 MILLION people waking up like, "Hey, I wonder what Jill is doing today?" With that said ... please follow me ... I have, like, seven followers. :)

5) "Local local local" has always been radio's mantra. How do you keep your station visible and involved in the community?

We live in Orlando, and I honestly can say this is one of the most amazing cities in the world. It's a great city. It lends itself to locality. Chad and I love being involved in the community. I'm a mother and he is part of the LGBTQ community and what's the point of being in media and having a microphone if you can't help your community while doing it? From hosting events to mentioning your school's charity event, to collecting toys for children during the holidays ... If we can be, we will be there. I have a six-year-old boy and I try to take every opportunity I can to show him how to be a giving, kind person.

6) What's the coolest promotion you've been involved with recently?

This past December, we launched Chad and Jill's Really Big Toy Drive for Toys for Tots and the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children here in Orlando. Chad volunteered to live on the Eye until we reached our goal for the toy drive. We broadcast the morning show LIVE everyday for eight days (Friday-Friday) including an AMP Total Takeover with our entire staff taking over the broadcast on the second-to-last day. Listeners were encouraged to come by and donate toys and then ride around the Coca-Cola Orlando Eye with us (22 minutes per rotation) for free. This was one of those things that makes you say, "WOW! I can't believe we did that." We pulled that off. People came and donated and we got to meet SO many amazing listeners. Most importantly, we raised so many toys for children that would have received none otherwise. I've never been so proud to be part of an event and a community. We plan on this being an annual event that really helps put everybody into the holiday spirit.

7) What artist would we be surprised to find on your personal playlist?

We have a "thing" in our family .... we LOVE Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons. My parents (who I'm very close with) danced their first dance to "Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You." My boyfriend and I happen to LOVE Frankie Valli as well, so we listen to them almost every Friday night along with Dean Martin. It's just happy stuff that brings back happy memories. Of course, I can't discount "Hot Diggity Dog" and "Little Einsteins." I mean, I do have a six-year-old. That's quite the playlist, right? If you wanna borrow my iPod, just let me know.

8) What's one thing that would surprise many people to learn about you?

I'm a hippie at heart. If I could, I would live on the beach in a boho skirt wearing bangled bracelets and hoop earrings, no shoes, while playing in the water with my son and loved ones and have many animals running around. I wanted to be a marine biologist, but I'm deathly afraid of the water ... but I still love the beach.

9) If you could add one full-time position to your budget right now, what would it be?

Morning Show Producer ... Dear Lord.

10) Who is your favorite air personality not on your staff and why do you like them?

I have to say, I am a huge fan of Jay and Dana on Mix 105.1. They are two people who you just say, "Wow, look at them go." I honestly think the world of them and when you want to see true professionals who have just completely mastered what they do ... those are the two who do it. They are also hilarious off-air and I wish the whole world could see the people I see behind the scenes. They're just great people.

I also can't say enough about my past co-host, Ron Olson. He is a legend on FM 100 in Memphis in his own right and I consider myself super-lucky to have been his co-host for as long as I was. He's one of those radio personalities who is a household name and I was on the air with him. I won the lottery when he asked me to co-host with him and I'll forever be thankful for that. I learned so much from him.

Which character on a current TV series most reflects your personality?

I mean, ultimately if Karen Walker from Will And Grace, and Phoebe from Friends had a baby ... they would probably name her Jill Bucco. I love my wine, I have an attitude and I'm kind of all over the place. I fly by the seat of my pants, I love to laugh and I love to make people laugh. Sometimes, I'm the only one laughing ... but at least "I" think I'm funny, and at the end of the day ... Two out of three ain't bad.