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10 Questions with ... 'Big Daddy' Terry Styles
May 22, 2007
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TITLE:PDSTATION:WRRX (Magic 106.1)MARKET:Pensacola, FLCOMPANY:Cumulus MediaBORN:Chattanooga, TNRAISED:Chattanooga, TN
Please outline your radio career so far.
Oct. 2004 - Present - WRRX (Magic 106.1)
Program Director/Music Director/On Air Personality
Format: Urban AC
Owner: Cumulus Media
Market: Pensacola, FLJuly 2004 - Oct. 2004 - WSKZ (KZ106)
On Air Personality
Format: Classic Rock
Owner: Citadel Broadcasting
Market: Chattanooga, TNSept. 2002 - Dec. 2003 - WIMZ (Rock 103.5)
WTMX (Oldies 95.7 & 106.7)
On Air Personality
Format: Rock and Oldies
Owner: South Central Radio Group
Market: Knoxville, TNNov. 1998 - July 2002 - WLOV (LOVE 97-3 & 99-3 FM)
Program Director/Music Director/On Air Personality
Format: Urban AC
Owner: Clear Channel
Market: Chattanooga, TNFeb. 1993 - Nov. 1998 - WUSY (US-101 FM)
On Air Personality
Format: Country
Owner: Cumulus Media
Market: Chattanooga, TNOct. 1992 - Feb. 1993 - WOKI (I-100 FM)
On Air & Producer for Open House Party
Format: CHR Top 40 Mainstream
Owner: John Pirkle
Market: Knoxville, TNSept. 1990 - Oct. 1992 - WNOO (AM 1260)
APD/Music Director/News Director/Air Personality
Format: Urban Contemporary
Owner: Pye Broadcasting
Market: Chattanooga, TNAug. 1988-Sept. 1990 - WJTT (Power 94)
On Air Personality
Format: Urban Contemporary
Owner: Brewer Broadcasting
Market: Chattanooga, TN1) What was your first job in radio? Early influences?
My first job was doing weekend overnights, running Walt Love's Count Down on Saturday mornings during the good ol' days of turntables and Sunday morning Gospel fill ins on WJTT (Power 94)/ Chattanooga, TN.
Influences: Spider Harrison, WLAC/Nashville; Mike Roberts, WVEE/Atlanta; Larry "Swee Back" Styles, WBMK/Knoxville, whose last name I assumed; James A, a.k.a. "James Alexander, "WBMK Knoxville; Sugar Brown, WNOO/Chattanooga; Guy Black, WJTT/Chattanooga.
2) What led you to a career in radio? Was there a defining moment, which made you realize "this is it"?
The passion I have for music. I love all genres of music from Urban to Classic Rock, to Country.
When I made a demo tape of myself on the air, I played it for my father and he said, who is that? I said that is me. And he did not believe it was me. Growing up as kid, I always talked broken English and split verbs. When I went on the air, I became a different person with a different sound, I like TV actor.
3) If you were just starting out in radio, knowing now, what you didn't then, would you still do it?
Yes.
4) Where do you see yourself and the industry five years from now? How do you feel about the PPM eventually replacing the diary?
Years from now, I would like to own my own station or stations, even if it is a 500-watt daytime AM in the middle of nowhere in a corn field. You have to start somewhere.
The industry five years from now, more corporate, more syndicated, voicetracked, and less mom and pop stations.
As for the PPM, I can't really say.
5) How do you feel about being made to wait on a record you hear until the research validates it?
It depends on the type of song and if it is a new or core artist. My market is a military and retirement town. Certain records I play will work here than they will in other markets. If it is a core artist like the new Patti Labelle "Any Thing" or Rick James "Deeper Still," my audience will respond quicker because they are familiar with the artist. If it is a new artist like Musiq Soulchild or Robin Thicke, I will spike the song and test it with my listeners until I get research back to determine what rotation to put it in from my VP of Urban Programming, Ken Johnson. Very rarely a new artists may come along such as Cupid with the new single "Cupid Shuffle" who gets a first spin on the station with mad phones. You have a smash hit before it is even researched.
6) What is going to happen to the training of tomorrow's talent and programmers if the current trend continues? How do you feel about syndication and voicetracking?
The talent and programmers are not going to be as passionate about the business as we are today. When I was coming up in the business, I taught to learn everything from sales to promotions to programming. It's more than just playing music, it's the connecting with the community and the streets. Tomorrow's programmers and talent will rely on automation and computers to do all there work and not use their own creativity.
Regarding syndication and voicetracking, in large and major markets, no. A small market, OK. Especially in a small market where you don't have much of a budget to hire staff. I am currently running Tom Joyner for my mornings, and my Quiet Storm at night has a few voicetracks from my own voice guy, Scotty Webb.
7) What adjustments have you had to make in your new position?
Being an octopus and having many arms. Ha Ha! Being a multitasker. Being in a small market, I am an on-air PD, music director, as well as production, and some promotions. I have to do it all and still give the station the big-market sound.
8) Of all the skills you have gained through the years, is there an area you'd like to improve?
Learn more on the sales side.
9) What do you feel the current situation that caused Imus to be fired is going to do to our industries? Are Urban programmers and air personalities going to be so stifled that their creativity will be affected?
The FCC and corporate companies will start tightening down on music with sensitive lyrics and shock jocks like Star and Buc Wild and the now-suspended Opie & Anthony for their remarks on the homeless Charlie incident involving Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.
How it affects Urban will depend on what type of programmer or air personality you are. You don't have to be a shock jock to entertain your audience. Comedian Sinbad, whose act is clean, has a huge loyal audience without racial or cursing statements in his shows.
10) As you look back over your career ... any regrets? Missed opportunities?
Regrets: Not having a mentor. Not being able to work with or under some of the big industry greats such as Tony Gray, Barry Mayo, Tony Fields, and Steve Crumbly.
Missed opportunities: Not going for the PD opening at WUBT (101.1 The Beat)/Nashville after PD KI KI Henson left. I was currently the PD of sister station WLOV in Chattanooga, TN. Instead, I talked longtime friend and current PD Pamela Anise into taking the job.
Bonus Questions
What would people who think they know you be surprised to find out?
How versatile I am. I can do several formats outside of the Urban arena, with Classic Rock and Country being two of my other favorite formats. Music is my passion.
What is your biggest challenge working at this station?
Having a skeleton crew and small budget but making it sound like a big-market station. My midday girl and I are the only two fulltime people on the station. Listening to the station you would think that it is a big-market station and not a small-market station with the promotions, contesting, and formatting we do.
What do you do with a song you don't like?
Pray that it falls off the chart the next day! Ha ha! Go to the bathroom or break room if it comes up in rotation on my show.
What's the best piece of advice anyone's ever given you?
Never stop learning the business. Learn every aspect of the industry that you can from programming, sales, promotions and the music industry.
The worst?
Lying.You just won the lotto and you have your boss on the line. What's the first thing that you would say?
You are no longer my boss! I am your boss! I am buying the company! Or if it is someone I can't stand as a boss ... You're fired! This is going to be my station!
What aggravates you the most about the business?
If a once-in-a-lifetime opening comes available, I will send out a demo package. The GM or PD will respond back and say, "I like your package but you are not the SOUND we are looking for." SOUND? I remember people like Bobby Holiday, who is our current PD of our sister station WMXU in Columbus, MS, and syndicated morning show personality Doug Banks saying the same thing about their careers. If you have never met or seen a picture of us and you listened every day to your favorite station no matter what format it may be, you could not tell if we were black or white. We have what you call a Midwestern accent. A versatile accent that can be used on any music format. I could easily do a Classic Rock format or Country format without changing my lifestyle, likes, wants, or needs. To me, a great personality is a person who can entertain and do great radio.
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