THE STORY BEHIND THE MIC
KARAOKE
KEVIN’S STORY.
I went to Sam’s for karaoke. Somehow, I wound up with a side hustle I never saw coming.
01 / THE BEGINNING
An old friend.
A side room.
In 2024, I walked into Sam’s Bar and Gaming in Homer Glen, Illinois, for the first time. An old friend was doing karaoke in the side room, so I stayed and partied. As far as I knew, that was the whole plan.
I came back the next week. The KJ didn’t show up, there was a line of people waiting, and I wanted my turn at the mic. So I stepped in and kept the show going. I had come to sing one song; apparently I was now running the night.
02 / THE REGULAR GIG
The accidental KJ
got a standing gig.
After a couple more weeks when the KJ didn’t show, I asked the owner if I could take over permanently. That spontaneous night turned into a regular show. Somehow the guy who just wanted to sing had become the guy handing out the microphones.
Then people started asking me to host their private parties. I said no every time. I didn’t own the equipment, and “I’ll bring a great attitude and hope there’s a speaker somewhere” wasn’t exactly a business plan.
03 / TURNING IT UP
The gear came first.
Then it took off.
A few months later, I caved, bought my own equipment, and booked my first private party. A few months after that, a bar owner came to karaoke at Sam’s and booked me for her bar on the spot. That was the moment I realized this might be bigger than one night a week.
The calendar filled up faster than a bar tab on karaoke night. I started booking additional gigs for myself and three other hosts to cover the nights I couldn’t be in two places at once. Turns out even eight microphones won’t fix that.
04 / TODAY
Still here
for the fun.
Now Karaoke Kevin has branded merchandise, upgraded equipment, lights, eight microphones, and a side business that grew far beyond the night I walked into Sam’s. The best part is still the same: watching a room full of people cheer somebody on, whether they sound like a rock star or are just brave enough to grab the mic.
Come Sing. Stay for the Fun!
NOW IT’S YOUR TURN
COME MAKE
A MEMORY.
Find the next show, bring your friends, and take the mic. You never know where one song might lead.