Today we’d like to introduce you to Jamie Rodriguez.
Jamie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
It all started in a blur. The year was 2004, and during my freshman year of Journalism School, I won a contest to attend a live Q&A with the Victoria’s Secret Angels in our local top-40 station Y-100 WHYI Miami. After the live session (which included Tyra Banks, Adriana Lima, Gisele Bundchen, Heidi Klum, and Alessandra Ambrosio), I met the radio station General Manager who mentioned they had an opening for an internship with the morning show. Fast forward about a month, and I was officially an intern for the #1 rated morning show in South Florida: Kenny & Footy in The Morning. What happened for the next three years was a love story with radio and music that has shaped me to this day.
After becoming a full-time member of the show, I learned how to connect with people, whether they were celebrities like Shakira, David Copperfield, and Alonzo Mourning, or listeners who wanted to share their stories and excitement on the air. Everybody has a story to tell, and every story can have value for all of us. At the same time, I would spend my free time after the show at the classic rock station next door learning everything about the genesis of music. The impact of learning about artists like Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty, U2, Talking Heads, and Peter Gabriel is a stamp on my soul that has been with me ever since.
Since the radio show ended, I dabbled in other career paths but always gravitating back to music. First, as a podcast producer for the ATU2 podcast, and contributor to the U2Start Podcast (The two biggest U2 fansites) where I interviewed U2 celebrity fans like Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra or Actress Ashley Judd, and then as a concert photographer. It is here where I have been contributing to publications such as the South Florida Music Magazine or Interference.com, photographing artists as varied as Janelle Monáe, Coldplay, New Order, Zac Brown Band, and U2 (My favorite band) on several occasions.
Early this year, I decided to go back to my music journalism/interviewing roots and launched ‘jrodconcerts: the podcast’, a show that has taken off to unprecedented success beyond my wildest expectations. A bi-weekly podcast with one featured guest, we go deep into their life journey covering a variety of topics, including how to build a successful career in entertainment or media, the music industry, and other valuable lessons. We have had varied guests like Rock and Roll Hall of Famers John Oates (Hall & Oates), Mary Wilson (Original member of The Supremes), current chart-toppers like Alt-Rockers Vampire Weekend, up and coming stars like Bronte Fall and comedians like Rachael O’Brien.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Never a smooth road. The journey has been full of detours, failures, and setbacks. The difference is that I was raised early on to understand that problems are an essential part of life, and in fact, it is the struggles we conquer that make us proud when we look back. Shout out to people like Tony Robbins or books like ‘The Road Less Traveled’ by M. Scott Peck that shapes one’s thinking of failing to grow.
Some specific examples of problems along the way were finding my footing after the morning show ended right as the ‘great recession’ of 2008 was beginning. It was hard to think of continuing to do radio when for a period, every week, there were 20,000 to 50,000 jobs being lost across the country. Personally, I went through a divorce through this process, which is as painful as people say. But also, a tool to grow and make one a better person and leader.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
The ‘jrodconcerts podcast’ is a show that is all about the mega fans of quality music, favorite artists, biggest concerts, and a backstage pass to everything in music. Music is personal to me. It has been my life since I saw Metallica perform in Bogota, Colombia, in 1999, at 12 years old. My in-depth knowledge, combined with the constantly changing platforms provided by the Internet, has allowed me to become a prominent digital creator and influencer in the music arena.
More importantly, though, I want to share this knowledge and passion with the world at large. The streaming era has brought many important benefits, but the history and transcendence of albums and eras has been lost. I like to think its part of my mission to make sure people of all ages know about The Psychedelic Era of the 1960’s New York’s 1970’s Punk Rock scene or know names like Sam Cooke and Fats Domino.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Very little. Luck to me stands for ‘Laboring Under Correct Knowledge.’ We all have failures and disappointments but, it is the meaning we give these failures that ultimately result in what people may see as ‘luck.’ It all comes down to hard work, connecting with people, and spreading knowledge and love. Then you let the dice roll.
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.jrodconcertspodcast.com
- Phone: 3057883604
- Email: jaime@jrodconcerts.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/jrodconcertspodcast
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/J-Rod-Concerts-Podcast-112406507175368/
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/jrodconcerts
Image Credit:
Brenda Bravo Photography
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