Meet Chris Jordan | Owner of Extended Play Music LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Chris Jordan and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Chris, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Initially I was looking to only be in a band and not lead one. It started off as coworkers putting together a band, but I realized there wasn’t a leader. During high school and college I was a songwriter and producer, so I decided I might be the best leader for the group. My forte at the time was arranging music and making the songs we do sound their best. Once I realized how happy it was making me, I pounded the payment to get as many shows as possible. I would google live music venues and go there after my day job to introduce myself and try to get us a booking. The learning never stops and I’m happy how things have grown since then.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
These are great questions. What sets me apart from others is that I came into this music business understanding that I need to succeed at the business aspect of it more than the musicality part of it. I used to song write and arrange music when I was in middle school and high school. At 30, I had my first adult band and knew I needed to accelerate its success since I was starting late. I learned that the challenges weren’t learning music, but it was learning how to lead people. Everyone has different motivations on why they perform or love music. In order to keep loyalty and reach new levels, I needed to learn everyone’s communication style. There’s inevitably trial and error with this, but we just keep learning. I want the world to know that I care about the preservation of live music and not only for listeners, but for players as well. That’s why my band has always been all live.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
My favorite spots in the DFW area, which we can treat as “the city” here, all center around the food scene. A top brunch spot for me would be either Ida Claire, Whiskey Cake, or the Common Table. For dinner, I love Haywire in Plano. The fun would be found in salsa dancing, bowling, top golf, hitting the gym, and karaoke. I’d also love to find some local bands to support. Then it’s time to chill.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I owe credit to the industry for it being so supportive. I don’t think I can acknowledge only one person who’s helped my band and myself achieve what we’ve accomplished. From advice on sound equipment, lights, how to structure pricing, booking agencies, there’s a ton of people to acknowledge. This works because we all know that there’s enough business for everyone even if we are in competition. My celebrity influence however would be Stevie Wonder.

Website: https://www.extendedplaymusic.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/extendedplay

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chris.jordan.374?mibextid=wwxlfr&mibextid=wwXlfr

Image Credits
A couple of photos were taken by Yo-Yo Photography and Harry Photography