Today we’d like to introduce you to Jordan Rogers.
Hi Jordan, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
Everything started for me at the age of 12. I was mesmerized by the drums. I saw drummers playing and I couldn’t take my eyes off of them. I somehow got a hold of drum sticks and started banging on things around the house. I would beg my Mom to eventually buy me a drum set. And she did. And then she bought me a guitar. One by one I fell in love with making music and playing it anywhere I could. I joined bands. I would teach myself every instrument. I fell in love with creating and playing.
Fast forward 10 or so years later, a friend told me I’d make a great DJ. How could he see that in me? I was somewhat extrovert on the microphone and he saw something in me, he said. Life is funny how things somehow seem to fall into place.
So as fate would have it, I met another local DJ Tommy who taught me the ropes. I was attending college at the time, so I began to DJ in college for parties or wherever I could play. I borrowed speakers. I had an old crappy laptop. I made things work on a shoe- string budget. One gig after the next I would reinvest my money to buy gear. First DJ equipment, next silent disco gear. I knew I had a probable business model that might work, so I started “Tiger City DJs” as a nod to my alma mater. Years later came the Peabody Rooftop, then Mempho Fest for 8 years, and now? I’m hosting Bonnaroo Music Festival’s Silent Disco. I can’t believe I’m even saying that out loud. Along the way, I’ve had some incredible opportunities come my way and lots of wonder people to help me get there. I’ve been asked to perform for Priscilla Presley twice, and the late Fred Smith the CEO of FedEX had me DJ for his family 3 times. I also got to play a gig with Magic Johnson! Life is crazy. Manifestation is real, and I truly believe you can have anything you want in this life.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Absolutely not a smooth road. I think anytime you start to feel successful, life has a way of humbling you. There are always setbacks, mistakes, and moments that feel like failures, but I’ve learned those are often the greatest lessons.
The entertainment industry can be incredibly competitive, and early on I probably came into it a little naive, assuming everyone thought the same way I did. Over time, I learned how important it is to surround yourself with dependable people who genuinely want to see each other succeed.
Through all of it, one thing I’ve never lost is belief in myself. My belief is almost irrational at times. I genuinely feel like I can accomplish anything I set my mind to. Not everyone will understand or share that mindset, and that’s okay. You just keep going.
The biggest lesson for me has been this: surround yourself with great people. Success becomes a lot more meaningful when you’re bringing others along with you.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I’m probably known as the “silent disco guy” around Memphis. This has been one of the things that I accidentally got into that kind of worked. That’s the cool thing about life. You just try things. Some of them work out. Some of them don’t. I also genuinely love creating music. I produce music/beats in a program called Ableton. I have gigabytes of music that I’ve never even released. I just love creating! I do it for me. It’s really therapeutic. I have some songs that I’ll be releasing into the world soon enough. I am a bit of a perfectionist and have made probably 30 renditions of the same songs. This might be my biggest downfall sometimes (having really high standards) or that can also be seen as a strength – depending on how you look at it.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Believe in yourself. You are the only person in charge of your life.
Everyone has limiting beliefs. We all probably think to ourselves: “What if it doesn’t work out”? I say: “But what if it does?” What if our mind is the only thing holding us back?
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.tigercitydjs.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/therealjordanrogers/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TigerCityDJs/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/mrjordanrogers
