AristoMedia‘s Tertiary Promoter, James Freeman grew up in Elizabethton, TN, a small town in the Appalachian foothills. Freeman attended Middle Tennessee State University, and earned his degree in Music Business in 2012. While at MTSU, James participated in the school’s student run record label “MT Records” and also helped out at WMTS, the local college radio station. He began working at AristoMedia during his senior year as an intern for Marco Promotions, Aristo Media’s radio promotions devision. James specializes in Tertiary radio promotions, and works to secure airplay for independent artists on small market terrestrial radio stations and online streaming outlets.
Q: Where is your hometown? And why did you decide to come to Nashville?
A. Elizabethton, TN. (Small town in East TN near the Johnson City/Kingsport/Bristol area) I moved to Nashville after getting a job here at AristoMedia. However, I had been living in Murfreesboro while attending college at MTSU beforehand.
Q: What is one interesting fact about you?
A. When I was in third grade my family moved to Germany for about 6 months due to my parents job being outsourced there for a project. After the project was finished we moved back to Tennessee.
Q: What is your favorite Nashville eatery?
A. Boca Loca. I just ate there for the first time a few weeks ago and have to say I was really impressed.
Q: What is your favorite music venue? (Anywhere)
A. The Woods at Fontanel. I love outdoor music venues/concerts, especially during the summer.
Q: If you could only pick one, what would be your all-time favorite song?
A. Jackson Browne – “The Load Out / Stay”
Q: What are some of your hobbies?
A. I like to be outdoors and do things like camping, hiking, and fishing. I also really enjoy snowboarding during the winter if I get a chance to go.
Q: What is your favorite thing to do in Nashville on the weekend?
A. Explore and find new places. I’m still relatively new to the area and there’s just so much to do here.
Q: If you could have any super power, what would it be?
A. Teleportation. I hate sitting in traffic.
Q: What do you consider your greatest achievement?
A. Graduating college.
Q: What is something interesting that is on your bucket list?
A. I would like to visit every continent before I die (except for Antarctica.)
Q: What is one type of food that you could not live without?
A. Mashed potatoes and gravy. I could probably eat them as an entire meal all on their own.
Q: What actor would you want to play you in the movie of your life? Why?
A. Paul Rudd. I like his movies/acting style and I can identify with a lot of the jokes he makes.
Q: If you could go anywhere in the world right now, where would you go?
A. Hawaii. I’ve never been, and a trip to the beach sounds wonderful right now.
Q: How would your friends describe you?
A. Most people say that I am pretty quiet, but when I do have something to say it is usually pretty insightful.
Q: What TV or movie series are you obsessed with right now?
A. House of Cards. I just started watching it a week ago, and I’m already nearly finished with the second season.
Q: What did you ‘want to be when you grew up’ as a kid?
A. A paleontologist. (I was a big fan of Jurassic Park.)
Q: If time or money weren’t an issue, what would you be doing right now?
A. Traveling. I’ve always been fascinated by ancient cultures/civilizations and would like to see ruins like the pyramids in Egypt or the Parthenon in Greece. However, due to the current political/economic climate in those regions it would probably be best if I waited a while before seeing them.
Q: What are the top five albums that have shaped your life?
1. The Showdown – A Chorus of Obliteration
The Showdown was a heavy metal band that originated in my hometown of Elizabethton, TN and rose to prominence while I was in high school. Their second album made it onto the Billboard 200 chart, and they performed at many top-tier heavy metal events such as Ozzfest. Since they were a “Christian Metal” band, a lot of their shows were open all ages and served as my introduction to the live music scene when I was a teenager.
2. The Beatles – Abbey Road
One of my favorite albums of all time. I remember my parents playing it a lot when I was very young (around 4 or 5 years old), and is one of my earliest memories of listening to music.
3. Radiohead – OK Computer
During my first year of college I discovered Radiohead, and they quickly became one of my favorite bands. My roommate and I collected all of their albums, but I remember listening to OK Computer most of all. It is meaningful to me because it reminds me of living out on my own for the first time, and was the beginning of my transition away from the punk rock/heavy metal phase that I was in throughout high school.
4. Miles Davis – Sketches of Spain
I first heard this album in high school when we were told we would be playing some of the music from it as part of the marching band’s halftime show. (Yes, I was a band geek.) I hardly knew anything about jazz back then, and this album not only introduced me to the genre, but inspired me to learn more about music theory and improvisation.
5. Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – Raising Sand
I saw them perform at Bonnaroo in 2008 when I was 18. I had always been a big fan of Led Zeppelin, and also knew Alison Krauss from her work on the O Brother, Where Art Thou? soundtrack. Seeing them perform live, and later listening to the album really helped me develop an appreciation for Country music as a genre, and introduced me to other greats such as T-Bone Burnett.
Q: An “important” piece of music you just don’t get:
A. “Louie Louie” by Richard Berry. Commonly heard at frat parties and pre-game tailgates. I have absolutely no idea what any of the words are or what the song is about.
Q: A television show you can’t miss, but hate to admit you watch:
A. Ridiculousness with Rob Dyrdek. It’s one of those shows where they play clips from YouTube and make jokes about them. It’s pretty low-brow, but my inner 14 year old still dies laughing every time I see someone wipe out on a skateboard.
Q: If you could spend the day with any person (living or deceased), who would it be?
A. My grandfather (father’s side of the family.) He died when I was young and had suffered from Alzheimer’s Disease for several years before then. I felt like I never really got to know him due to his illness, and getting to spend a day with him to see what he was really like before the disease would mean a lot to me.
Q: What is your life goal?
A. To be a homeowner and raise a family.
Q: What is your favorite joke?
A. What are Super Mario’s overalls made out of?
Deni-nini-ninim
Q. Daily necessities in your desk drawer, pocket, or purse:
A. Pen, wallet, keys, phone.
Q. Favorite thing in your office
A. Just moved to a new cubicle so I haven’t had time to bring in many personal items yet, but I like the fact that I have a bit more privacy now. Oh, and it has a window!
James Freeman
Tertiary Promoter – Marco PromotionsHi-res
