10 Questions with ... McConnell 'Man At Large' Adams

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

WHYT-WDRQ/Detroit, KKDA/Dallas, some time in Ft. Wayne, all of Michigan but Grand Rapids and the U.P., just got to Lansing with Townsquare Media (97.5 Now FM, WJIM-FM/99.1. WFMK, WFMK-FM) after 10 years in Alaska (KFAT 92.9 and KWLF 98.1) and the last part of that with iHeartMedia at 101.3 KGOT!

1) How would you describe your first radio gig?

Overnights at WMHW (91 Rock FM) at CMU in Mt. Pleasant. I slip-cued Rock and Alternative, had a three-deck cart machine, and rotary pots kids. Google it.

2) What led you to a career in radio?

Summers, I used to come up to visit my dad in Detroit from Mississippi. I heard WJLB and WHYT and big-city radio. That sound and the music! I was hooked. I wanted to do that. When I told my folks, I was going to get a degree in Broadcasting in college. It was not met with the best of responses. LOL...

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

I just came from just afternoons in Alaska to Brand Manager for a Top 40 (that I do mornings on) and an AC station. And practically a full staff for both stations. Wearing hats? The job, and the title for said job, changes every 10-15 minutes, LOL.

4) What are you doing social media-wise?

Begging for help, LOL. I am blessed to be with a company that loves digital and to have some staff members who take the ball and run with it. They are showing me some things. And keeping it local and getting the audience involved and connected. John and Max, daddy loves you.

5) Who handles your imaging, and what voices are you using?

Chad Erickson on the Top 40 and Ann Dewig on the AC. I have some help from Phantom Producer and Reelworld has always been my favorite! Good jingles are LIFE!

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

Nickelback, LOL! Everything else is fair game. I listen to everything.

7) What music do you listen to when you’re not working?

Dance (house), gospel, and grown folks R&B (I love the new After 7 album).

8) Who were your mentors? Who would you say has influenced your career the most?

Rick Gillette, Alex Tear, Beau The Jammer (Beau Daniels WOMC/Detroit now), Brent Carey.

9) What advice would you give people new to the business?

Never give up and follow your passion. Never stop learning. And don’t let the lifestyle and your ego consume you.

10) What would you like to do to save radio from its "dying-industry" image?

Shock the system, throw out all this up-to-the-second data and playing it safe, let a real old-skool programmer come back and take a crack at it and put on something to shake shit up like the Power Pig from back in the day and watch it succeed. And then put it on everywhere.

What's the best sweeper/liner you've ever heard?

"Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, especially if you be holding tickets to Lollapalooza!" And "From the heart of Michigan - A state that is literally shaped like a hand, trying to prevent America, from going to Ohio!"