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10 Questions with ... BJ Murphy
January 19, 2021
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BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:
Career started at WSHA Shaw University Raleigh NC. I've been on air in small, medium, and major markets during my thirty-year career. Those cities have included WQOK/Raleigh-Durham, NC, WWDM-The BIG DM/Columbia SC, Mornings- WQMG/Greensboro, NC, Mornings-V103/Baltimore, MD, Mornings -KPRS/Kansas City, MO, Mornings-WPEG/Charlotte, NC, Mornings-KRNB/Dallas, TX, and WVAZ/Chicago, IL
1. What are you up to these days and don’t leave anything out?
I am doing some voice tracking and working on my podcast, “The 20-Minute Morning Show.” You can listen on all podcast platforms. I’m also working on my streaming syndication morning show on about 10 stations. We launched, “The Bomb Charlotte” last fall as our flagship streaming station. I am also relaunching “The Breakfast Brothers Morning Show” into Urban AC morning syndication in 2021 with Blue Tag Media. I am excited about that project.
2. When and why did you decide to go into radio?
I was fascinated by the DJ’s at my hometown radio station in Goldsboro NC. Beginning in the 10th grade in high school, I just could not help myself. College radio was my training ground at Shaw University. I worked at 3 stations while in college. I was the fly jock of college radio from 83-87. I would load my friends, who were from New York, Philly and DC, down with blank cassette tapes and they would bring me back tapes of the stations and I would be in my room memorizing and practicing what I heard. I spent a lot of time in my dorm room practicing.
3. Would you share one of your funniest radio stories?
I was at WQMG in Greensboro, NC and my co-host, the late Jasmin James and I had a beef on a station trip with listeners on a boat cruise to the Bahamas. It got so deep that we had listeners choosing sides. Half the boat was with her and half the boat was with me. It was the craziest thing. We finally made up before we got to the Bahamas, but the listeners thought we were crazy as hell . We laughed about that and how ridiculous it was. We were young in the 90’s.
4. You’ve had quite a career, haven’t you?
Yes, I have some great experiences. One of the greatest highlights in my career was sitting in for my iconic hero Donnie Simpson at WPGC 95.5 in Washington DC. When Donnie and I both worked for CBS radio and the company would me fill in for him while he was on vacation. I was in Charlotte at WPEG and I got to come to Washington and sit in his seat several times a year.
I learned radio from some of the best who have ever did it. There are too many names to name who have mentored me, but I learned that you must pay attention to details. From the time I fell in love with radio in the 10th grade I wanted to measure up to the best in the business and do big city radio, and I did that. I have unfinished business still to attend to in radio.
5. What ingredients are needed to make a morning or entertainment show consistent?
Show prep is my religion. I like being overly prepared for a daily show. I believe in writing for my show and taking as much time as needed to make sure I’m not ever without a road map. Then I have to decide what matters and what is my camera angle lens on anything I'm going to discuss. I say what I want on the air and I say it how I want to say it. When I stopped caring a long time ago what people thought, I was free. Generic DJ’s don’t make millions of dollars. Know your material and be fearless in how you deliver it. I am not talking about being an A-hole on the air. I’m taking about being your authentic self and still follow the program directives of your PD. Learn how to edit yourself and know when it’s time to exit the break. I could teach a class on this one subject because it’s my passion. How long does it really take you to execute an entertaining break? Can you make your audience think laugh or chuckle every morning? And do so in a timely fashion. It takes work but learn how to get your point across in the shortest time possible. It’s about being efficient and thorough. Plus, you have to know when you’ve said all that needs to be said and move on to something else.
6. Who are some of the people who influenced or mentored your career?
Cash Michaels back at WLLE, Cathis Hall, Andre Carson, and Sam Weaver who taught me how to do mornings, Tony Gray, Jerry Boulding, Mike Love, Vinny Brown, and countless others. I have learned so much from so many by listening and asking lots of questions.
7. How did the morning show name “The Breakfast Brothers start?”
The Breakfast Brothers morning show name was created in Kansas City Missouri at KPRS. My co-host Myron D (Myron Fears) and I came up with the concept and the show was born. At first someone said what about Burger Kings Breakfast buddies and Sam Weaver our PD said, "uh are you sure that won't cause some confusion and it sounds kind of strange for two men to call themselves the Breakfast Buddies." So, during a critique session with Sam, we came up with Breakfast Brothers. When I left KC for Charlotte and WPEG I took the show title with me. That was in 1995. Keith Richards and myself launched the Breakfast Brothers at WPEG and I had a 9-year run.
8. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?
“Less is More.”
9. How do you see the future of radio and all audio media?
I believe the ability to connect audio and visually is the future. Audio written and video all depends on your ability to capture the hearts and minds of your potential audience. Heart transmission is the connection. You have to fight against being a mediocre generic DJ. You must have an opinion and be able to express it in a way that attracts people to you. You have to be fearless to cut through the crowd and that means doing your show prep and researching and being able to condense and spit facts in an entertaining way day after day. It takes more work than people think.
10. How have you used your social media to connect and market yourself?
I like connecting with people and building a with repour with people you would normally have to find yourself at a conference to meet.
Bonus Questions
What are you most proud of?
I am proud of helping other people become better communicators and sharing what I have learned. I have taken people out of barbershops and made them into six figure talent. Everyone who has come through my camp has been successful and gone on to be great performers.
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