Stacy Harris
(She/Her)
- Print, Broadcast Journalist, Author, Ghostwriter, Editor, Music Historian, Book and Music Reviewer, Freelance
Nashville
As seen in:
Apple Podcasts,
Facebook,
Authority Magazine,
CNN,
IMDb,
Medium,
The New York Times,
HuffPost,
Issuu,
The Guardian
and
Covers:
music news, music reviews, book reviews, music industry investigative reporting, media events
Doesn't Cover:
e-blast publicity releases unless accompanied by an exclusive news tidbit.
Interview
What was your first job as a journalist?
Upper Midwest Country & Western News-Scene staff writer/columnist.
Have you ever used a typewriter?
I grew up with typewriters. The question suggests I shouldn't tell anyone!
How is social media changing news?
It lowers the bar.
Who's your favorite fictional journalist?
Must I pick just one? Mary Richards and Ted Baxter come to mind. I've known their real-life counterparts.
What does it mean to be a journalist?
You seek and verify facts, update, post corrections, link or cite source material and obtain permission to use copyrighted material.
What's the funniest news-related #hashtag you've seen?
I'd tell you but I want to continue to eat lunch in this town.
How do you prefer to be pitched on stories?
Email, only
What tools and software do you use to do your job?
I couldn't do without Kompozer and Filezilla.
What's your favorite social network?
NextDoor
Who do you wish followed you?
Everyone who is on Meta and X.
Why did you become a journalist?
I didn't receive a lot of encouragement when I was young. When my first stab at journalism was appreciated, I was hooked!
Did you work for your high school newspaper? If so, what did you do there?
No, I was too busy being paid for my work.
What story are you most proud of writing or working on?
No single story. I'm proud of my investigative reporting and my status as an academician, music historian and published author.
What advice can you offer to aspiring journalists?
"Controversy is only dreaded by the advocates of error." - BENJAMIN RUSH
When's the best time to pitch you?
Afternoon.
What's the best pitch you ever got?
It was a pitch that included an invitation to a Branson news junket, not long before CBS' 60 Minutes discovered Branson.
What's the worst pitch you ever got?
I still get them. The queries are from publicists who haven't read my FAQs page and are more concerned about their clients than my readers.
What's your favorite drink?
Cold water.
When you're not at a computer, where are you most likely to be?
I'm most likely to be working the room at a Music Row function.
Aside from your own, what's your favorite publication to read?
It wouldn't be an online publication, though it may be available online. I subscribe to/read too many magazines and newspapers to name one.
What's the most common misperception about your beat?
How much media training and media days drive content, contributing to the lack of spontaneity in reporting. Doing your homework offsets this.
Would you like to take the Muck Rack Interview?
Create a Muck Rack profile.