On January 1st, 2010 I joined the legendary JBTV as the new (and first) General Manager. For those of you that either didn’t grow up in Chicago or did, but have been living under a rock, JBTV is an iconic regional music television program that is celebrating it’s 25th anniversary this year. The show and it’s founder and equally iconic host, Jerry Bryant, have helped launch the careers of such legendary artists as No Doubt, Fall Out Boy, Dave Matthews Band, Green Day, Radiohead and hundreds more.
Ironically, I grew up on JBTV and it helped shape my musical tastes as a young child. The show featured a quirky, cartoon-like host, Jerry, interviewing obscure bands like The Replacements, Social Distortion, They Might Be Giants, and Mars Volta. At the time I had never heard of any of these bands, as they were first starting out, but the world would soon grow to love them and they themselves would in turn become iconic, like the program that created a spark that would inevitably ignite them into the musical stratosphere. I would go so far as to say that I owe my love for music to JBTV. Sitting as a child watching late night broadcast television (it was the 80s), observing strange arthouse music videos introduced by a strange looking older, white-haired hippie had struck a nerve. I had been bitten instantly by the music bug.
Fast forward 25 years and here I am, the first General Manager ever for the show. It feels serendipitous to be here. Above all else, though, it feels fateful. Not only do I think that almost every event in my musical curriculum vitae has led me here, I feel as though it is where I am destined to be.
I’ve made some changes to the show in the last four months. I’ve led the charge in updating the show’s look and feel and even added some new hosts (hopefully not to the purists’ chagrin). I am also blessed to be working with an amazing team of creators here who, consequently, all volunteer to work long 20 hour days. On January 1st there were five employees at JBTV. Four months later we have almost 30. Each one is a genius in his/her own right. I feel blessed to be working with all of them and they genuinely bring me happiness every day. Too many to name. They know who they are.
Anyway, I look forward to this new chapter in my career. Between leading the charge at JBTV and running my management company, Goldmill, I certainly have my hands full. But I’m having the time of my life. Stay tuned.
