10 Questions with ... James White

1. What got you into music?

I started to DJ in college to make some extra money. I got connected with a record executive to start breaking music at parties/clubs. From there, I was recruited to work for the label on a national level.

2. What did you dream of becoming when you were a kid?

A pilot, police officer, and a G.I. Joe (Storm Shadow).

3. Your biggest regret from high school or college?

Quitting Football and Basketball.

4. For you, what's been the biggest change in music promotion over the last 10 years?

Ok you asked... Answer: The evolution of accessing music via technology. Over my 15 years at Columbia and years at Priority Records, prior to that, I watched the evolution or promoting music go from vinyl to CDs, to MP3 players, now streaming, etc. Genres have emerged, evolved, mashed together because of streaming. It's getting tougher to assign new music/projects to a radio format to jump start the process of promoting it.

You always have to keep your eye on the ball because your working music that crosses over format lines faster these days. You have to keep mindful, some of these projects (i.e. LIL Xan) your listener/consumer has the song already in Power rotation on their preferred streaming platform (not yet radio). The X/Millennial generation doesn't care what the artist looks like or what they say anymore. They just fall sonically in love with the MUSIC. Your average Hip Hop head has a favorite AC/DC or Country track, your average ROCK person is rapping Kendrick Lamar "Humble." and your average Top 40 person knows "Bodak Yellow". the xxample I made above; We have an artist on Columbia Records named LIL Xan. This kid has a single out called "Betrayed" that's hitting over 62 million YouTube views and streaming over 6.5 million a week at Spotify and Apple (combined) without radio airplay yet. It's impacting Rhythm on 1/9/18. That's what's changed in the last 10 years for me.. P.S. RIP AOL IM too

5. Have any musical "guilty pleasures"?

Garden State soundtrack, Sting, U2 & Coldplay.

6. Who were some of your mentors both in and outside of the industry?

A mentor to me is someone who motivates you, so for me this changes every day. I am lucky to be surrounded by good people who are passionate in their work in all aspects of it.

7. Looking back on some of the artists and projects you've been involved in breaking, which are some of the more fulfilling?

I really enjoy being a part of the process. Choosing just a few artists doesn't seem fair. My personal goal is to see an artist succeed long term, that's the most gratifying and fulfilling.

8. Let's play Word Association. Give me a quick sentence on each of the following:

• Ayelet Schiffman: She gets the Most Passionate Award.
• Brian 'Big Bear' Davis: He's someone you can always have an honest conversation with....even about bad records.
• Jimmy Steal: He's a PPM philosopher of his own kind, who also loves Bruce Springsteen.

9. You spend quite a bit of time on the road. What are some of your favorite markets for road trips?

Favorite cities are San Francisco, Denver and Salt Lake City. My favorite radio peeps make all the other cities great on my road trips.

10. Personally, what would you like to do better in 2018?

I would like to be better managing my time. There's not enough hours in a day to fulfill everything on my plate.

Work keeps you very busy but what do you like to do with your free time?

I love to run to clear my head. And I love doing DYI home projects. My wife hates when I start a new project because I always feel the need to finish it in 24 hours, no matter what (jigsaw running at midnight).

If you could be on any TV reality show or game show, which would you want to be on?

Jeopardy.