J. Brown Thinks Out Loud

The Brand of You

Mon, 01 Apr 2013 17:58:00 -0400

It’s 2013. We live out loud. As humans on earth, we have more ways to communicate than ever before. For those of us who communicate professionally, we know that we have more opportunities to say the wrong thing. It also means we have more opportunities to say the right thing. What you say out loud is up to you.

I am grateful to have the opportunity to speak to different groups throughout the year. My favorite will always be students. For the most part, they’re respectful, they’re eager to learn and they genuinely need the guidance and advice that you can share. They are a captive audience.

When I speak with students, I often hear lots of questions about how to find a job. Whether I’m talking with communications students or math students, the answer is always the same. You must differentiate yourself from the other candidates. And you must do this from the beginning. I always recommend a few ways to do that and I’ve been told that the recommendations work.

As an applicant you have one chance to make a first impression, and you have to do that on paper. In a world that has become so visual, it’s a challenge to set yourself apart on a couple of pages of resume’ paper. So how can you use this visual trend to your advantage without barging into the hiring manager’s office? How about a head shot?

I recently had the opportunity to sit down with my friend John David Pittman and a head shot session. JDP is the only PH2 Associate Photographer in Arkansas. The PH in PH2 refers to Peter Hurley, a world renown head shot photographer. JDP has trained with Peter for many hours and you can clearly see that in his work. A quick stroll through his website shows a clear distinction in his work. His head shots bring your personality to life.

I often joke that I’m the least photogenic person on the face of our planet. I even joked the day I walked into his studio I don’t feel very pretty today. He laughed and said It’s my job to make you pretty, you just get back there and smile.

He has a unique requirement for each photography session. He asked that I step over to his Spotify app and choose the soundtrack for our head shot session. I quickly picked Bahamas because they’re one of the best bands in my ears right now. Let me tell you, it truly made a difference. I was all smiles and, with a few of JDP’s jokes like, Act like you’re picking out your next credenza, we were off to make a great head shot. The end result was a great shot.

In a world where everyone thinks about their image and brand, you can’t afford to ignore your own. The first impression is a huge opportunity for each and every one of us, especially those of you on the hunt for a new gig. Think about including a quality head shot with your next resume’ and see if it gives you the advantage over your competition.

Arkansas State Red Wolves Bowl Potential

Mon, 05 Nov 2012 11:48:04 -0500

If you’re like me, you’ve been crossing your fingers for another Arkansas State University bowl game appearance for the 2012 season. Worry no more, my friends. With Saturday’s (homecoming) defeat of the North Texas Mean Green, the Red Wolves officially stepped into bowl game eligibility.

I’ve been keeping an eye on the bowl game projections for a few weeks now and we seem to be all over the place. I hope that we win the conference championship and hold out for a better (and later scheduled) game than the New Orleans Bowl, which is reserved for the Sun Belt Conference champion. Enough small talk, let’s get down to the expert projections for bowl games this year:

BBVA Compass Bowl - Birmingham, AL; Jan. 5th: CBSSports.com
R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl - New Orleans, LA; Dec. 22nd: ESPN.com
GoDaddy.com Bowl - Mobile, AL; Jan. 6th: Scout.com
Advocare Independence Bowl - Shreveport, LA; Dec. 28th: PhilSteele.com

As you can see, the projections are pretty diverse at the moment. A lot could change after Thursday night’s game against Louisiana Monroe, as lots of sites still project ULM to win the conference championship. Comment below and let me know what you think of the projections so far. Where do you think the Red Wolves will spend their bowl season?

It’s Friday and we thought that you guys might enjoy...

Fri, 05 Oct 2012 09:33:34 -0400

It’s Friday and we thought that you guys might enjoy another track from our recent live recording. This song, titled City Lights, is a Brown Soul Shoes original. It seems to be a fan favorite, but let us know what you think about it.

Good Monday morning to everyone and happy October to you all. I...

Mon, 01 Oct 2012 11:18:49 -0400

Good Monday morning to everyone and happy October to you all. I wanted to share another track from my band’s recent live recording. This one is a cover of The Thrill is Gone, an old B.B. King favorite. Enjoy!

My band, Brown Soul Shoes, recently recorded a show on the...

Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:40:00 -0400

My band, Brown Soul Shoes, recently recorded a show on the rooftop of Michaelangelo’s in Conway, Arkansas. Take a listen to the opening track and let me know what you think. It’s a cover of a Herbie Hancock song called Chameleon.

My Love Letter to Beats

Wed, 29 Aug 2012 11:24:13 -0400

I recently celebrated my 31st birthday with the most important people in my life on the streets of Memphis and the sandy soil of the Mississippi Delta. As my birthday approached my lovely wife (H) asked, as she does each year, what I had in mind as a birthday gift. My response was simple and singular. I wanted tickets to the upcoming Arkansas State University Red Wolves football season. My request fell short after a little research. discovered that we had several schedule conflicts with the home games in Jonesboro, so the tickets wouldn’t get the use they deserved.

It’s funny that she never asked what my “backup gift” would be and I never uttered any thoughts on the matter. I spent the days leading up to my birthday on the road for work, but was surprised with the opportunity to head home on the evening of my birthday. When I arrived at home, H had a nice bag, covered with balloons waiting for me on the dining room table. I can usually guess my gifts, but this year I had no clue about what I would unwrap. As I dug into the sack I saw the unmistakable packaging of Beats by Dre, almost as if there was a glow of golden light behind it. I was floored. I could not believe my eyes. I had the coolest wife ever!

If you’re a music fan and musician like me, you understand the importance of good headphones. I had a decision to make. What song would I choose on my first test drive? I grabbed my phone and quickly scanned my playlists until I found the perfect song. I turned the volume up and laid back in my chair while Kanye West filled my ears with his masterpiece All of the Lights. Wow! I was blown away. The bass was full, the treble was sharp and accurate. These were the best headphones I had ever listened to and certainly the best headphones I had ever owned.

I carry my headphones to the office everyday and I listen to them everyday. When I look to escape, my Beats are the vehicle that takes me away. I’ve created a list of Must Listen albums with these headphones and wanted to share it with you. If you have albums recommendations for high quality headphones, please share them in the comment section below. I would love to make a long list to share. Sit back, turn up your volume and listen to music like you’ve never heard it before. Enjoy!

Led Zeppelin - IV
Pink Floyd - Dark Side of the Moon
Bon Iver - Bon Iver
The Beatles - White Album
Silverchair - Diorama
The Beach Boys - Pet Sounds
Miles Davis - Kind of Blue

It’s your lucky day! I’ve got another concert poster...

Wed, 18 Jul 2012 10:48:56 -0400

It’s your lucky day! I’ve got another concert poster from Modern Gigposter. This one features everyone’s favorite (modern) jam band, Phish.

I would love to see these folks do a couple of vintage concert posters. I think the Grateful Dead would make a great addition to the collection.

More beautiful eye candy from Modern Gigposter. This time our...

Tue, 17 Jul 2012 14:50:23 -0400

More beautiful eye candy from Modern Gigposter. This time our eyes are graced with this concert poster of Norah Jones.

Disclosure: This one may be my favorite

This is another great concert poster from the Modern Gigposter...

Sat, 14 Jul 2012 10:13:11 -0400

This is another great concert poster from the Modern Gigposter collection that I shared yesterday. This one features The Black Keys. Great stuff!

Surfing around online on this Friday afternoon lead me to a...

Fri, 13 Jul 2012 17:23:33 -0400

Surfing around online on this Friday afternoon lead me to a great collection of quirky concert posters. I found them on a blog called Modern Gigposter.

I’ll post a few of my favorites over the next few days, but I wanted to start with this stunning Matisyahu number.

I came across a map on Twitter this morning that was posted...

Tue, 10 Jul 2012 10:52:10 -0400

I came across a map on Twitter this morning that was posted by Scott Enyeart. The map comes from PopVsSoda and it gives a great visual of how we, in America, refer to that fizzy, calorie filled treat I call soda. I’m obviously in the minority.

Looking at the stats for Arkansas, we clearly fall in the “Coke” category. If you click on our state, you can check out statistics county by county. Take a look at the map and see if you’re an outcast in this ageless debate.

News Release Copy: Theft or No Theft?

Thu, 05 Jul 2012 15:46:00 -0400

I came across this article thanks to Hatton Weeks of KAIT in Jonesboro, Arkansas. He retweeted the story from The Poynter Institue, a journalism school founded by Don Baldwin.

The story tells about journalist Steve Penn’s firing from the Kansas City Star last year. According to the story, Steve Penn was fired for taking copy directly from press releases and using it in his columns.

As a public relations professional, I was astounded by the story. When I write a press release, my goal is to write in a manner that requires little to no editing. In a perfect world, the reporter or editor would print exactly what I wrote in the release. According to Penn, the policy at the Kansas City Star allowed reporters to use such copy for years and the policy changed without him being informed of such change.

I’m interested to hear from fellow public relations professionals on this matter. When you all write a press release, do you expect to be attributed for you work? If so, do you make that point clear when sending the press release out to journalists? If you think like me and hope journalists use your copy, let me hear from you as well.

Little Rock Jams - Updated

Tue, 03 Jul 2012 15:42:00 -0400

As most of you know, I try my hardest to pretend to be a musician here in Little Rock. With that being said, I keep my eye on all of the shows coming to town and try to catch as many as my schedule will allow.

I’ve recently noticed that we have a GREAT run of shows coming to town before the year’s end. This is my attempt to share those shows with you. Please feel free to add to the list as you see fit. As always, thanks for reading!

Twista - July 13; Rev Room
Tedeschi Trucks Band - July 15; Robinson Auditorium
David Allen Coe - August 4; Rev Room
Chris Robinson Brotherhood - August 14; Rev Room
Yellow Dubmarine - August 21; Stickyz
Little Feat - September 10; Rev Room
Pretty Lights - September 26; Riverfest Ampitheatre
Henry Rollins: Capitalism - October 3; Juanita’s
Needtobreath - October 9; Robinson Auditorium
Galactic featuring Corey Glover - October 28; Juanita’s

Now that you know what’s going on, I hope you’ll get out and enjoy some live entertainment. Cheers!

Family Health Update - The Second

Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:05:00 -0400

Today is my dad’s birthday. He is 53. Yesterday he spent the day in a doctor’s office having a port for chemotherapy put into his body. When I called to wish him a happy birthday his response was “this is a heck of a way to spend your birthday.” I agree. No one deserves to spend their birthday in pain after having a procedure like that.

He’s halfway through his chemotherapy preparation. He’s going in for a MUGA scan tomorrow morning, which will test the strength of his heart. Assuming that goes well, and it should, he will have his first chemotherapy treatment on Monday. I’m gracious enough to work for an organization that understands the importance for family. They believe that family support is vital and have asked that I take the day to be with my dad. That’s right. I didn’t ask to go, my boss asked me to go.

My grandfather is still here at UAMS on the multiply myeloma floor. He’s received his second chemotherapy treatment this week. We saw him last Thursday night and he’s starting to get his personality back. In fact, he managed to crack a few jokes that had Heather in tears. That was a welcomed sight.

As for our battle against cancer, we power on. We move forward. Thanks to friends, family and co-workers, these two men must be on every prayer list in this great state. For that, we can never say “thank you” enough.

Family Health Update - The First

Thu, 12 Apr 2012 15:35:00 -0400

My family has experienced a lot of pain over the past 8 days. It all started last Tuesday when I received a text message from my mother telling me that my maternal grandfather was being transported to UAMS here in Little Rock. The details were few, but the worries were many.

Last Friday, after tons of tests, shots, procedures and monitoring, we finally received some real news. At age 77, he was diagnosed with multiple myeloma. Bone cancer. Our family support for him has been unbelievable. In fact, in only 8 days, it’s made our family stronger. For this, I am very grateful.

I wish our story stopped there, but it does not. Only three weeks ago, I received a call from my dad, the most important man in my life. Dad called to tell me that he had not been feeling well and his doctor had ordered some tests. Tests that included words often associated with cancer. Words like biopsy, oncologist and PET scan. I had to place this worry on hold while we worked to support my grandfather back to health.

This afternoon, the day after my grandfather received his first chemotherapy treatment at UAMS, I called my dad to check in. The conversation was short, simple and heartbreaking. Dad was standing in his doctor’s office when he told me his news. He has been diagnosed with Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. Non-Hodgkin’s Cancer. The doctor has given him a positive outlook and thinks that he’ll be back to normal after several chemotherapy treatments. Thankfully, my dad has a positive outlook that is contagious. I’m grateful for that.

Three years ago, I created a non-profit organization with my two best friends. All proceeds of that event have gone to the American Cancer Society since day one. I have a passion for families affected by this terrible disease and my passion continues to grow stronger. Please join me in prayer, positive thoughts, blessings and all other feelings of mercy for our family. We need it.

2012 Beale Street Music Festival

Tue, 28 Feb 2012 12:13:00 -0500

I attended the Beale Street Music Festival in 2011 for the first time in almost ten years. As I’ve grown older, I’ve discovered something about myself and I’m not proud to say it. I’m much less tolerant of stupidity, especially at music festivals. I know, I sound like a grumpy old man.

I decided to attend last year’s festival because the lineup was too good to turn down and it looks like 2012 might not be much different. Below you’ll see the entire lineup as it stands and my list of bands to see. I look forward to hearing who you all will be going to see. Happy festival-ing!

My Picks

Jane’s Addiction
My Morning Jacket
John Hiatt
Florence and The Machine
Wiz Khalifa
Girl Talk*
Allison Krauss and Union Station
Al Green
The Civil Wars
Grace Potter and The Nocturnals
Lupe Fiasco
Michael Franti and Spearhead
Herbie Hancock
Buddy Guy
Needtobreathe
Cold War Kids
Three Six Mafia*
Son Volt
Jerry Lee Lewis*
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood
Gary Clark Jr.
Johnny Winter
Robert Randolph and the Family Band*
Dr. Dog
Big K.R.I.T.
North Mississippi All Stars*
Old 97’s
Charlie Musselwhite
Jimbo Mathus and The Tri-State Coalition*

* - bands I’ve seen live

This is a beautiful drum kit. customdrums: #Anchor...

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:52:09 -0500

This is a beautiful drum kit.

customdrums:

#Anchor Drums

customdrums.tumblr.com

Hip Hop Covers

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:38:26 -0500

I’m a SUCKER for intresting and intriguing hip-hop covers. I spent the day searching around for some ear candy and came across the band Karmin. These guys are a cute duo from the east coast, but they’ve managed to become pretty relevant with their barage of hip-hop covers.

This Lil’ Wayne cover is pretty delicious, but I’m a BIG fan of the Chris Brown number too.

Note, I’m not a fan of Chris Brown. I’m a fan of Karmin covering Chris Brown.

This girl can flow better than most rappers on the radio right now. Check them out and tell me what you think.

Come Hear Our Tunes

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 11:16:40 -0500

As most of you probably know, I play music with a group of guys here in Little Rock. We call ourselves Brown Soul Shoes and we mostly like to play blues and soul. We’ll be taking on a new venue this Friday night in Conway, Arkansas and we’re looking forward to it. The Ford Theater is Conway’s newest venue and we’ve heard nothing but great things. Here’s a preview of what you’ll see at the show. Come out and see us if you’re local!

literallyunbelievable: This article is stupid

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 10:54:24 -0500

literallyunbelievable:

This article is stupid