CONTACT: jperryam AT yahoo! DOT com
WHY I'M HERE:
I started paying closer attention to life inside the Beltway several years ago, when it became obvious that my "representatives" were not interested in helping independent webcasters, who to this day remain under attack and faced with extinction, thanks to the nefarious efforts of the RIAA to monopolize Internet music distribution. I had been attempting to launch my own Internet radio business at the time, and I remain hopeful that someday it may still happen.
The experience has made me a more responsible citizen, and for that, at least, I am grateful. One of my favorite lines is "They pissed off the wrong guy." I promise to remain vigilant, holding accountable as best I can those who promise to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. Far too many of the people we send to Washington don't take their oath seriously. It's our responsibility as citizens to let them know we're paying attention, and we're not going away.
BORN:
Sometime between Sputnik and the Beatles, in upstate New York.
HOME TOWN:
Bethel, Connecticut. Moved there at the age of four. Graduated Bethel High sometime between Three Mile Island and Thriller.
ADOPTED HOME TOWN:
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Home to the Steelers, Pirates, Penguins, Heinz Ketchup, pierogies, the Clark Bar, 102.5 WDVE, Donnie Iris, Stanley P. Kachowski (the P is for Pittsburgh), and some of the best musical talent and passion I have ever encountered. I love yunz guys!
THESE DAYS:
Living near Bethel, working on the radio in Norwalk.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
State champion hurdler and long jumper in high school (still waiting for the big endorsement contract offer from one of those big shoe companies). Also, during an otherwise mundane game of quarters during the one year I spent at Southern Connecticut State University, I got the quarter in the glass on 17 consecutive tries. So the year wasn't a total loss...
INSPIRED BY:
Big brothers, rock heroes, love of country, good friends, people who give graciously of themselves to help others...
HOBBIES:
Singing, writing, softball, guitar (I'm a professional novice), political commentary (please don't mistake it for a love of politics) and trying to determine the relevance of the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) to artists.
FAVORITE ARTISTS:
Beatles, Eagles, Allman Brothers, Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Ray Vaughn, Traveling Wilburys, Smithereens...
FAVORITE ALBUMS:
Rubber Soul, Sgt. Pepper, Let It Be, Brothers and Sisters, Eat a Peach, Born to Run, Breakfast in America, Hotel California, The Long Run, Running on Empty, Building the Perfect Beast, The End of the Innocence, Hard Promises, Into the Great Wide Open, The Lonesome Jubilee, Strong Persuader, Journeyman, From the Cradle, August and Everything After...
RADIO RESUME:
(starting sometime between The Miracle on Ice and "It gets by Buckner!")
WKGL (now WRRV 92.7) - Middletown, New York
WRKI (I-95) - Brookfield, Connecticut
WFOX (95.9 The Fox) - Norwalk, Connecticut
WDVE (102.5) - Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
WCXR (now WJZW 105.9) - Washington D.C.
WIYY (98 Rock) Baltimore, Maryland
Worked at I-95 three different times, now working at the Fox for the second time.
THE RADIO NAME THING:
In my younger, more naive days I used to think that everybody on the radio used a "stage name", so I made one up for myself, changing my last name to Perry. I think I also figured that when I got famous, I didn't want people confusing me with the guy named John Schneider who actually was already famous...
FAVORITE IN-STUDIO MOMENT:
Two days after Reggie Jackson was inducted into the Basesball Hall of Fame, he came through Pittsburgh on business. The morning show arranged an interview, but they were doing their annual live broadcast from Steeler training camp in Latrobe and Reggie didn't have time to get there, so he came to the station where I was running the board for the live broadcast. Just the two of us in the studio...I handed him a pair of headphones and explained that he would be talking to Scott Paulsen after the commercials. I didn't want to spend four minutes staring at Reggie Jackson and saying a bunch of stupid stuff ("I'm a big fan, blah, blah, blah"), so I started pulling a bunch of CDs and spots (it was the still the olden days, before everything was on the hard drive). As I looked over to him with 30 seconds left in the break, he was asleep, headphones in hand. The rest of the encounter goes like this:
"Mr. Jackson, 30 seconds." No response.
"Mr. Jackson, we're just about ready." Nothing.
For a brief second, I thought I had witnessed the heart attack death of a sports legend. Finally I shouted: "Reggie, wake up! It's time to go on!" He sat bolt upright, put the headphones on just in time for Scott to introduce him, and was an awesome interview.
For as long as I live, I will never forget it.
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