LC Meridian

Issue date: 12/3/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment

Adrian Mckinnon [Click to enlarge]

As a child, R&B crooner Adrian McKinnon knew he was destined for a career in music. McKinnon, who comes from a family full of singers, remembers the times when his father, a gospel singer, would utter soulful tunes from a karaoke machine in his room.

Eager and curious, young Adrian would listen by the door in hopes that he would someday get a chance to grasp the microphone and deliver moving melodies just like his father did. As luck would have it, he did get the chance. When he got a hold of the microphone, he never let go.

"I'm an advocate for good music," said McKinnon. "Good music is kind of hard to find these days."

The twenty-four year old Washington State native believes that his R&B jams can revive a banal music scene that many music listeners have labeled as "dead."

"I'm bringing another story," explained McKinnon. "I'm a singer/songwriter/producer. It's three jobs and I have to turn myself into three pieces. One-hundred percent of the source is coming from one individual."

McKinnon's musical résumé includes video game scores, jingle writing and rap music, which he credits with helping him to understand flow in R&B music. Despite his accomplishments, McKinnon didn't know the extent of which his music was able to reach people until he performed in Lehman's Lovinger Theatre in April at "New York's Best Kept Secret 3," a concert series organized by Lehman senior Chad Scott from "Minorities in Media." It was at Lehman's Lovinger Theatre, where McKinnon was able to spread his wings. He recalls being flooded by a mob of enthusiastic fans who wanted to get his autograph.

"I got to interact with people that appreciated my music," McKinnon said. "It still takes time to get used to it. I don't know if I'll ever get used to it," he said shyly.

As an adolescent, McKinnon says he was inspired by everyone, from gospel great Andraé Crouch to the king of pop, Michael Jackson. He even listened to R&B bad boy Bobby Brown, who was known to bump and grind on stage when performing his sultry R&B jams. But you won't catch McKinnon getting down like that on the stage. He says that his music creates that kind of shock factor.

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