10 Questions with ... Eric “Hollywood” Davis

BRIEF CAREER SYNOPSIS:

A 39-year Communications Specialist, On-Air Radio and Television Personality, Creative Services Director, Voice Over Actor, Broadcast Instructor, Author and Public Relations innovative professional. Working in markets such as Indianapolis, Norfolk/Virginia Beach, Cincinnati, Greensboro, Baltimore, and Orlando.

1. When, why, and how did you decide to go into radio?

In the early 70’s, while still in middle school, I became fascinated with CB radios. At the time that was the first wireless communication available to the general public. I was in awe with how communication was done with just a microphone and an antenna. Back then I would also fall asleep listening to Jim Raggs on AM-WWCA in Gary and he made his callers the star of the show which was incredible. I could only imagine having that much fun at work and making a living at it.

While in high school, I became known as one of the hottest local DJs in Gary, Indiana. I wanted to take that to another level by becoming a broadcaster. That’s when I met Mickey Oliver of WBMX’s Hot Mix 5. We immediately connected and he allowed me to hang with him at all the different station functions in Chicago and surrounding areas. I became the ‘man on the mic’ while the other guys mixed, it was incredible. He’d let me ride with him when he dropped off his reel-to-reel at ‘BMX in Oak Park. That’s where I met my on-air mentors and heroes Lee Michaels and Doug Banks. Lee and Doug would come out to several of the Hot Mix 5 events, and I would hang with them and soak in as much knowledge as I could. Doug knew I was sincere about making radio my career and we became very close. He invited me several times to come up and hang with him while he did his morning show on ‘BMX and on WGCI when he and Lee made the switch. We’d leave the station hop in his black ‘Vette and take off for cold beer and conversation. Man, I was on top of the world hanging with the guy who had Chicago in the palm of his hand. I think that’s where I got my love for Corvettes too. I then was hired at daytime AM-WLTH in Gary for weekends. I was then moved to mid-days shortly followed by being the first talent to take the station from 7 to mid-night. Now closing in on 40 years and several large markets later, as they say the rest is history.

2. What are you up to these days?

I’m very active in the voice-over community with my company Eric Davis Voice-Overs. We’re geared toward the recording and creation of high-quality broadcast and non-broadcast audio and audio-to-video productions. We create compelling audio productions for any type of media. I’ve also taken my career to an entirely different level with the creation, production, and hosting of my syndicated program “Hollywood’s Basement Party.” This four-hour program for internet and terrestrial radio is geared toward the Urban AC and Rhythmic Oldies format.

“Hollywood’s Basement Party” is a groove, a vibe, a feeling that takes you back to when the greatest parties ever enjoyed were in your basement. This show is full of content. Every basement party had a kitchen for cooking your favorites and a lounge for you and yours to chill out. In our “Kitchen” we talk to some of the biggest artists that ever put it down like Morris Day, George Clinton, Evelyn Champagne King, and Larry Blackmon. In the “Lounge” we speak with great balladeers such as Stephanie Mills, Denise Williams, Gerald Alston, and Peabo Bryson. Also, all the artists that we have on the show are still performing today and packing venues. A basement party isn’t complete without a Bid-Whist and Spades Table. There we have our guest dealers telling jokes for example Dave Chappell, George Wallace, Earthquake and Wanda Sykes just to name a few. There are other segments such as the “Blue-Eyed Soul Corner”, “Rewind”, “The Below the Basement Mix with DJ Kyle Larue” and so much more. Trust me, these hits keep coming and coming and coming…like your teenage kids asking for money, they just don’t stop.

3. Any advice for up-and-coming air personalities and programmers?

Don’t get discouraged. If you choose broadcasting as a career, it’s a marathon not a race. Keep your mind open to new ideas because our industry evolves each day. Be a sponge, learn as much as you can, when you think you know it all that’s the day you commit career suicide. For air personalities if you think you shouldn’t…then DON’T. Also, programmers, believe in yourself and trust your instincts. Sometimes that gut feeling is the correct choice.

4. What Inspires You?

One word…Listeners! That’s our barometer in letting us know if we’re doing our job and doing it correctly. There’s nothing like meeting a listener on a remote or as simple as in your local grocery store and they let you know you’ve connected and touched them in a special way. When someone walks up to you and says, “You know, that comment you made about listening to your kids made me look at things a lot different with mine” or “I had a lousy day at work and I was stuck in traffic, but you and Marlon Wayans had me crying I was laughing so hard, I really forgot about my messy day…thank you for what you do”. That’s what continues to inspire me.

5. Could you tell us about the mentoring programs you've been involved in??

Two that I’m very proud of have been the “Not My City-Real Talk Mentoring Program” which meets once a week with about 30 at-risk teenagers in Sanford, Fl. It’s a way to let these young minds know that these streets have nothing but a hard way to go and to be successful in life you pick up a book and not a gun. I’m also involved in “The Brotherhood! Manhood! Fatherhood! Conversation Series” This is where key and influential men get together and speak on topics that impact our Black community. This also is a weekly meeting that takes place in Eatonville, Florida which was one of the first self-governing all-Black municipalities in the United States.

6. What are you most proud of?

My children…my two daughters are on the front line as registered nurses and I’m extremely proud of what they do and have accomplished. My oldest son is a computer consultant for one of the biggest firms in the nation and my youngest is beginning his third year at Brown University where he’s majoring in Mathematics and plans on earning his Ph.D.

7. Who have been some of your influencers and mentors?

First, I’d have to give full credit to my mother. She raised my older brother and me in a single parent household where, at an early age, I was shown unconditional love and support for all my dreams and endeavors, which still holds true to this very day. The men in my life were my uncles and grandfather. I was taught that a man holds true to his word, looks a person straight in the eye while speaking to them, has a firm handshake, and if a mistake is made owns it and takes responsibility.

In our industry, I want to acknowledge and credit those like Lee Michaels, the late Doug Banks, Super Jay Johnson, Steve Crumbley, James Alexander, Brian Wallace, Michael Saunders, Mike Love and Donald ‘Double D’ Davis. All I can say is that each one of these individuals have touched my life and career is such a special way that I’d literally have to write a novel to explain their impact. I would not be where I am today without the influence, guidance, and genuine friendship these professional veterans have placed in my life.

8. What frustrates you the most about radio and the music industry?

When some individuals want to hide behind voicemails. Even if we’ve met or not, if my phone rings from a colleague I will return that call in a timely manner. None of our names are on that transmitter site and one day that call you ignored maybe the person you need to return your call. It’s all about respecting our craft and those who work in it.

9. Fill in the blank: I can't make it through the day without _______?

Praying and thanking God for His many blessings.

10. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?

Keep your word, be accountable and dependable. If you keep those three fundamentals, you’ll go very far in life.

How do you see your future evolving?

Well, by the grace of God, I’m praying to still be viable in our industry and maybe go back into being an instructor. I authored and copywrote “America’s Best Broadcast Academy Online Workbook” which is a 15-chapter collegiate curriculum. It not only instructs and prepares you on how to become and On-Air Radio Personality but also equips you with the knowledge of public speaking, selling commercials with your voice, commercial copywriting, dramatization and so much more.

Would you share one of your funnier radio moments?

There are so many but one for instance was Sunday April 1, 1984, and I was on the air at my first station AM-WLTH. I was on the air with music from 12 noon until 1pm, took a one-hour break for a pre-recorded program then came back on from 2pm to 6pm. The 2nd biggest industry in Gary, Indiana besides U.S. Steel was the Gary School Corporation. The month before March, there was a huge teachers strike. It was finally settled that Thursday before the weekend with classes to resume on Monday, April 2nd. Mind you it’s April 1st, and at 12:45 pm (with permission from my PD Garry Law) I announced that the school strike was back on. The phone lines went ballistic and later that week learned a phone bank was blown due to call volume. Not only that, but it was also set up that my buddy Doug Banks and his engineer ‘Bama were coming over from Chicago (30 minutes away) to do the show live with me. So not only did I turn the city upside down with a ‘War of the Worlds’ type program, but also had the hottest morning man in Chicago on the air with me at lil’ old AM-WLTH. Doug was upset that then Indiana was a dry state on Sunday, and he couldn’t get any beer…lol. We kept the bit going until around 5pm as we kept telling listeners to look at the calendar (it was April Fools). That was an incredible afternoon of fun with calls from students, teachers, administrators, and others -- until we checked the teletype in the newsroom (yeah young broadcasters that’s how we got the news back then) and the Associated Press informed the world that Black music died that day. We had to go on the air and announce that Marvin Gaye had been killed. Truly a bittersweet day I’ll never forget.