What year did you graduate, and what was your major?
1990, Mass Communications/Journalism
What does your career look like now? How did you choose your path and launch it forward?
My career looks exactly like what I thought it would: a successful talent at the national level, heard by millions of people every day, and that’s what I wanted when I started. First, you have to figure out what you’re good at, which is the hardest part because everybody has an opinion about what they think you should do, what they think makes sense. And it is almost always based on economics. But you really have to consider the long game and what you want to spend the economics of your time on. This is the hardest part. Once you decide what you’re good at, then you focus all your efforts on getting better at it. I knew I loved talking, and I was good at getting to the bottom of things. So, I knew to push my career in that direction. I would have to keep getting better at communicating, and that’s what I did.
You must then become locked into the mindset of success. You must not be afraid to take chances because your success is standing behind whatever it is you’re afraid of. Do the research, create a plan, and go to work. When I graduated, I did my research, created a plan, and set out to turn that plan into success. It’s how I landed a job at the #1 radio station in Nashville less than two weeks after graduating. That job served as the launching pad to the incredible career I have today.
How did your experiences at the College of Media and Entertainment prepare you for your career?
College prepared me because we didn’t just sit in classrooms. We had the opportunity to have hands-on experience working in real studios. I was able to learn how to edit, to record, and most importantly, hear the sound of my voice. When I walked into the production room to audition for my first job, I wasn’t intimidated at all. I was ready for the challenge and landed the job.
From radio and TV broadcasting, I gained a lot through my experiences at MTSU. At that time, MTSU was, and still is, one of the premier colleges for media and the arts in the area and across much of the country. Back then, in the ’80s, they were well known for their mass communications program. I believe they were second only to Northwestern at the time; I could be wrong, but I don’t think so. I’m so happy it was my choice because that real in-studio experience, having a real radio station on campus, and being able to see what it all looked like; all of those things helped me tremendously when I actually got into my career.
What has been the most rewarding moment in your professional journey so far?
I would say showing people that you really can overcome odds and do what you want. I did it in front of my hometown, in front of my people. They saw where I came from, they got to watch my journey, and then they got to see me in the spotlight and hear me every day. Being both inspirational and aspirational to my community is an incredible feeling. When I hear people say, “Oh wow, I remember when,” and “Man, you actually did it.” It makes me feel blessed and incredibly proud. Because when you get to a certain point, you don’t have time to think about those things, so it feels good when someone reminds you of your journey; that small town of Murfreesboro, that little radio station in Nashville, and how far I’ve come.
Now, the other thing I would say is that I never once imagined I would be inducted into the Library of Congress. Meaning, long after I am gone, people will still be able to hear my voice, see my body of work, and know what I have done and how I took advantage of a path paved for me by other people who look like me. It is an incredible feeling. I don’t dwell on it because there is so much more road to cover, and I try not to sit in it. But every now and then, someone or something that I read reminds me, and I’m like, “Wow, I made history.” I wish my parents had lived to enjoy the moment with me. It would have been nice for them to know that for all the sacrifices I made, all the hard work I put in, and the nights when there were no bright lights or cheerleaders, just me, that in the end it paid off because I chose not to give up.
What advice do you have for current students?
Don’t let other people label or pigeonhole you. Do not allow them to define who you are. No one warned me about this, and it’s not taught in the classroom. Every job I have had, someone always thought they knew what was best for me, and that advice changed my personality, my spirit, and my voice. Lucky for me, I followed my gut. So, whatever it is that you want to do, go for it. Just be sure you know who you are at your core. When you find out who you ARE, Be clear and unwavering about it. If you don’t, everything will leave you feeling empty and confused. You will have a life that is unfulfilled because you did all these things that other people thought you should do, instead of what you believed you were meant to do. Never allow someone to tell you what can’t be done. Figure out a way to prove it can, and if there isn’t a way, make one.
