Crackerjack - A little more in depth...

How did you become a Mobile Disc Jockey, you ask? More or less by accident is my answer! Of course I will tell you that I have had a thing for music and radio. Growing up, my dream was to one day be "that guy" on the radio! It didn’t necessarily have to be as a "Disc Jockey" or an "On-Air Personality" as they call it now! It could have been anything, just as long as I was able to speak on the radio and over the airwaves. It just seemed like the coolest job in the world to me! I always wondered who it was that I was hearing on the radio, what they looked like, and how they got there. I guess you could say that I was intrigued by the mystery of the whole thing!

Then it all happened!!! Yes…it was ME! I was "On-The-Air" and heard "loud and clear"! Sounds incredible, doesn't it? Well, I did leave out just one or two small tidbits of information. First of all, I was probably only about 10 or 12 years old. Secondly, I was broadcasting on a brand spanking new CB Radio from Radio Shack (or, as they'd like to be called now, "The Shack". Sounds sexier I guess!). But hey…I was there! I made the big time! If you were in the neighborhood, had a CB radio in your car or home, you could have tuned in to "Crackerjack" chatting it up with his family and friends across the city of Quincy, MA. What a thrill it was! I don't remember exactly how long that phase in my life lasted, but boy... it sure was fun!

Over time, I had collected a pretty good amount of music and purchased myself some basic sound equipment. My official mobile DJ debut started when I was in my early twenties. I was approached by an old boss of mine who had asked if I'd like to DJ a poolside weekly happy hour at the Adam's Inn in Quincy. I obliged and was glad I did! It was the perfect way to really get a start and feel for the business. It was a pressure-less gig and one that was pretty enjoyable! One thing led to another, and the next thing I'm doing private events such as birthdays, graduations, and other parties. Still not taking it all too serious, but more or less just having some fun while making a little extra cash-o-la!

Years go by, I'm installing point-of-sale computer systems during the day, and spinning tunes on the weekends here there and everywhere. Kind of a double life, wouldn't you say? After numerous offers to be a part of someone’s wedding day, I turned to a colleague and friend of mine in the business to ask his advice. He told me I was crazy to not at least try to do a wedding. So, I did!

My first wedding took place on Cape Cod and yes... I'll be completely honest with you. It was a nerve racking experience. I know I didn’t sleep much the week (or month for that matter) prior to that wedding. I'm pretty sure my heartbeat was on double-time and that my hands were sweaty the entire ride to the Cape. Not an entirely healthy experience, wouldn't you say? Well…when it was all said and done, the wedding was a success and went off without a hitch. Who would have thunk it!

After a successful run as a part-timer in the mobile DJ business, I decided to go full-time with it in 1993. In the early stages, while trying to build my business and reputation, I worked part-time jobs for a few years at WJDA (a local radio station in my home town of Quincy) and at 92.9 WBOS in Boston. Both great experiences!

Today, I'm running Crackerjack Entertainment on a full-time basis and am happy to say that weddings now make up over 90% of our overall business.

I don't really know where I'll be ten years from now, but...until then, I'm doing what I love - meeting, working with, and entertaining people!

That's my story and I hope to one day be a part of yours!