JAY MAXWELL – a short bio
“I’ll stop being a DJ when it stops being fun.” That’s a promise that I made to myself over 30 years ago. My passion for spinning tunes and my early career as a Disc Jockey actually started during high school in a small town in South Georgia on the only radio station in town. Sure it was only on the weekend, but the thrill to have my friends at school on Monday morning comment on my show was too cool, especially when you’re only seventeen years old. When I joined the Navy, I felt sure that my DJ days were over – little did I know that they were just beginning. During my six year stint in the U.S. Navy as a nuclear trained submariner, I was asked to DJ at a local church by a friend. Much to my surprise, people danced. This was actually more fun than being a radio DJ since I could see my audience.
After leaving the Navy, my main objective was to attend college to earn a degree, but of course I still needed to make a living. So, while working on my Mathematics-Economics degree from the College of Charleston and later on my Masters degree from the Citadel in Mathematics Education, I DJed for several local radio stations and became the music director and weekend special programmer for one of the largest stations in Charleston. Also for five years, I was the regular “nightly” DJ for the Charleston Marriott Hotel. During this time in the 1980s of radio and club DJing while getting my degrees, I was asked time and again to DJ private events. My original plans after getting my education was to get a “real” job. But by 1990, the number of requests to perform at private events, mainly weddings, had given me the idea to create a DJ company. The goal was to hand-select DJs who possessed an outstanding personality, a sense of professionalism, and a willingness to go above and beyond in their service.
Clearly, with the number of events that Music by Request performs each year, this is a “real” job and keeps me very busy. What many people find interesting is that despite the full time job of managing a wonderful team of DJs, that I have another full time career. In fact, since 1993, I’ve enjoyed every minute of not only DJing, but also teaching as a full-time professor, known by my students as J. Maxwell Rollins, at Charleston Southern University.
People ask, why two careers? Well, I have a passion for both. In 1995, I earned my M.B.A. from CSU. Though I taught in the Mathematics Department until 2007, I was finally able to make the switch to the School of Business and use my MBA not only to enhance the professionalism of my DJ business, but also academically. While most professors teach in only one area, I mix it up by teaching all the “fun” courses of Statistics, Economics, Finance, and Management. Management is probably my favorite because for once my two careers aren’t parallel, but actually intersect. Students enjoy hearing my “real life” stories about my experiences in management, ethics, and leadership.
Every day when I step into any classroom, I view it much like a show – I read my crowd and try to determine what will make them connect to the material. My goal is to get them involved. Though I’ve been listed in the Who’s Who among America’s Teachers three times and have also received Charleston Southern University’s prestigious Excellence in Teaching Award and the Professor of the Year Award, my biggest award is always to see that I’ve had a positive influence on a student.
Another way that I combine both careers is teaching other DJs. My first priority is to teach my “family” of DJs to “deliver wow” by going above and beyond each client’s expectations. This is our mission and what has helped establish our reputation as the most respected mobile DJ company in the Southeast.
Since my radio days as a music director, I’ve had a passion to keep up with client’s requests to determine the most requested songs. This “research” actually led to writing about the best songs to play for certain events and publishing these articles for other DJs in the U.S. and Canada to read in the premier DJ magazine “Mobile Beat” starting in 1992. The first article appeared in issue # 11 and I’ve had an article published in every issue since then. In 1997 this research was first published as an entire book, Play Something We Can Dance To. Each year the book is updated and many mobile DJs buy the newest edition each year to stay current.
The editors of Mobile Beat even refer to me as “THE Musicologist” for mobile disc jockeys.
In everything that I do in life, I strive to go above and beyond what people are expecting. Whether it’s in the classroom, or at a wedding reception, my mission is to deliver wow. Yes, I’ll stop DJing when it stops being fun – but I don’t think that will happen any time soon.
Copyright January 2011 Wedding Disc Jockey Professionals
Jay Maxwell's Music By Request: A Recognized Leader
The Knot magazine has recognized us as a "Best of Weddings Pick". The Knot conducts an annual survey of over 20,000 recent brides. The criteria for selection includes creativity and professionalism. For four years in a row, our service in the Southeast Market, has been outstanding. We continue to hold the highest rating -- "*Above and Beyond*." Most recently we were included in "Best of Wedding 2011."
This award is given to wedding professionals in the top five percent of the industry for demonstrating excellence in quality, service, responsiveness and professionalism within the wedding industry.
