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PAGE 12A PICKENS COUNTY PROGRESS THURSDAY. FEBRUARY 4. 2021
Shooting the Breeze with Jim Quinton
Quinton talks
DJing, country
music, and
Dolly
Radio veteran Jim Quin
ton is no stranger to being be
hind the mic. Quinton, who
works as an on-air personal
ity at WYYZ 1490 AM in
Jasper, also runs his own in
ternet station Jim’s Mountain
Country on Live365 and has
worked at a variety of sta
tions since he was a teenager.
He recently landed a gig with
CDX in Nashville as New
Artist Advisor. Quinton grew
up in Pickens County and
graduated from PHS in 1980.
What got you interested in
radio, and what was your
first radio gig?
I have always been inter
ested in music, and I was a
DJ before I knew what it was.
I remember being in 5th
grade and taking a portable
record player and several of
my 45s with me to school.
My bus driver Charles Holt
would let me play some
songs for us on the bus and
sometimes my teachers
would let me do the same at
school. I started at WYYZ
when I was 16 doing Satur
day afternoons, then I added
Sunday mornings then before
I knew it I was doing after
school shifts to sign off dur
ing the week.
What will you be doing as a
New Artist Advisor at CDX
in Nashville?
I help artists launch their
songs to radio stations and
music industry folks and help
build their careers.
Your on-air personality is so
positive, jovial, and likeable.
How would you say you’ve
refined your style over the
years? And what makes a
good DJ?
When I first started in
1978 you had to have a big
booming voice, which of
course being a 16-year-old
boy I certainly didn't have. I
eventually learned to just be
myself. The best advice I
ever got was to talk on the air
like I was hanging out with
my best friend and playing
music for us to enjoy. That's
what makes a great DJ to me.
What’s your biggest on-air
goof up?
At one point I was work
ing at WCHK in Canton and
also at WRCD in Dalton and
I had a devil of a time re
membering which station I
was at, so I would do the
legal ID for the other station.
That happened several times.
Also, at WCHK I butchered
several international names
when I was anchoring a
newscast that included na
tional, state and local news.
Do you prefer artist promo
tions more, or being an on-
air personality?
That's a tough one be
cause I do love both, but even
though they're connected
they're different worlds. I am
most at home on air so that's
where I really feel like I be
long.
What’s the hardest part
about being a DJ most peo
ple don’t realize?
Timing. It's an art to get
your program to end at the
top of the hour so you can
start the new hour off right.
Used to there was a national
network I would need to have
on air at the start of the hour
or I'd lose part of their lead
story. Also trying to fit every
thing that some advertisers
want in their time that they
want to pay for (like fitting
60 seconds worth of informa
tion into a 30 second com
mercial).
I’ve seen you in photos with
so many famous country
musicians. Who are some
artists you’ve met that top
your list? Who was the
biggest jerk/disappoint
ment?
Obviously, Dolly Parton is
one at the top. I met her when
she was really at the top of
her game and she was just as
down to earth as could be.
Very sweet and generous
with her time and attention.
Tammy Wynette is another
one. Tammy was a huge
country legend but she al
ways remembered me, where
we last ran into each other,
what we talked about, and
such a gracious soul. Reba is
another one, she met mom
with me at a show and she al
ways remembers to ask me
about "Mamma." Chris
Young and Clint Black are
like that as well. Fortunately,
I haven't encountered many
jerks. There was one blonde
who wasn't very happy to
meet her fans or radio folks
either. Let's just say her
"Trainwreck of Emotion" de
railed her attitude. Great
voice, excellent songs, but
hasn't always been so sweet.
You are a self-proclaimed
Dolly Parton junkie. You
just mentioned her as a fa
vorite, but what is it you love
about her? What’s your fa
vorite song of hers?
I've been blessed to meet
Dolly several times. I love
her outlook on life, her hum
ble attitude and she's some
one that if she sees something
that needs changing, if she
can she will. My favorite
song of hers would have to
be "Here You Come Again,"
"Jolene," and "7 Will Always
Love You." I know I cheated.
I can't pick just one.
People always talk about
music being a cutthroat in
dustry. Working in the in
dustry yourself, do you see
truth in this?
Not only do I see it but I
have experienced it firsthand.
Sometimes it's the artist you
help get started that thinks
they've outgrown you. Some
times it's the promoter that
you helped by bringing them
on to help you promote a
song, and they wind up tak
ing the artist away from you.
And sometimes it's the radio
guy that will tell lies to get
the job that you should have
had.
What advice would you give
to aspiring musicians?
The people that you sur
round yourself with will al
ways be your reputation.
Find some good folks that
have the same beliefs and
qualities that you value that
will be honest with you.
There are many that will tell
you anything to get your
money, and once they have
your money, well, you're on
your own. Be cautious, be
lieve in yourself and your tal
ent and don't give in or give
up.
What’s your dream radio
job?
That's changed over the
years, my current dream
radio job is to be happy
where I am, controlling the
music that I play and know
ing that I fly or flop depend
ing on my performance. And
make just enough to pay my
bills and survive.
What are your top three
country albums of all time?
Here You Come Again by
Dolly Parton, Chris Young by
Chris Young and Greatest
Hits by Patsy Cline.
What do you do in your
downtime? Any hobbies?
Between my work with
CDX Nashville, WYYZ and
my internet station Jim's
Mountain Country, I have
very little downtime by de
sign. I do like to read, usually
artist biographies. I’m a huge
Netflix fan and love spending
time with my mom and my
cat Mollie. Pretty easy going
content kinda guy.
Jim Quinton spins classic country and other tunes at
WYYZ in Jasper, and also now works with CDX out of
Nashville. You can tune in to hear Quinton from 3-7p.m.
on WYYZ 1490 AM and 102.7FM.
Quinton with his favorite country artist, Dolly Parton.
This photo was taken in 1990 backstage at the Omni when
she was on tour with Kenny Rogers.
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