Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Keithm McClinton. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hi Keithm, thank you for being such a positive, uplifting person. We’ve noticed that so many of the successful folks we’ve had the good fortune of connecting with have high levels of optimism and so we’d love to hear about your optimism and where you think it comes from.
Being born and raised in Chicago, I learned to appreciate the fact that my family came from a small town in Mississippi (Gloster) to make a better life for us. Seeing my Grandmother work to build a foundation in Chicago gave me the influence to accomplish anything. Watching my family work together gave me a passion for achieving life goals. My optimism comes from seeing my people grow to become responsible in the own lives. So that kinda rubbed off on me, “Whistle While you Work” in some many words. LOL
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
Just to introduce myself…My name is Keithm (pronounced kee-thum). I’ve been in the entertainment business since I was 16, joining a a local band (Magical Force). I played keyboards, wrote and produced songs, and toured to Midwest. After leaving the “Force”, I joined Bang Production as a Studio assistant. This is where I learned to compose and produce my own style of music. (A mixture of Dance and R&B/Soul). Also with Bang, I had the opportunity to work on Radio and TV commercials for several brands like Coca Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Bud Lite, King Kobra and more. After leaving Bang, I began dancing for Chicago radio station WGCI; The station decided to have dancers (The Jam Posse) for concert events like Big Jam and several other events. We’ve done show with SWV, HTown, Shanice, Zhane and a lot of other artists. My next move was New York City! This is where my work ethics kicked in, I worked two jobs (Blockbuster and Ticketmaster) until I got hired as a singing waiter at Club 101 and working at Groove NYC. Also during this time, I was given an opportunity to dance for the Braxtons on Luther Vandross’ tour. And I also had the chance to do an off-broadway show called Revelations.
Moving back to Chicago gave me humbling times. I got an chance to be with my Grandma, my Pops, Uncle and cousin s before they passed. During that time, I had some personal issues myself (CKD). After years of physical, mental and spiritual healing, I received a kidney transplant and my confidence came back. Then I returned to the live music scene, working at the Velvet Lounge on Thursdays night for Open mic. Also, after a high school friend of mine convinced me, I began working on TV and Movies, joining 4 Star Casting. With 4 Star, I’ve done background work for shows like, Chicago Fire, Shameless, The CHI, Power: Force, The Big Leap and many more productions. Currently I work for Live Nation concerts and Soldier Field. My advice to everyone is to Dream Bigger and Work For it, Anything’s possible!
If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?
Three qualities that has always worked for me? One: You must believe in Yourself first! Two: Being able to communicate your goals and dreams clearly enough! Three: Always have a firm foundation, because every business has it’s ups and downs, Bills don’t wait until that Big Break comes!
All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?
With everything happening lately, There is an insecurity in the air. With me working for concerts and sport events, we’re never sure if a show might get cancelled or a player might get injured or the weather might cause an interruption for events. While there’s nothing we can do, You have to keep your head up and understand the we can’t control everything.
Contact Info:
- Website: linktr.ee/4keithm
- Instagram: @4keithm2
- Facebook: facebook.com/keithmbekrazy
- Twitter: Twitter.com/4keithm
