Motivational Music & Speaking is Kj’s Calling

Kj’s been labeled the “Niche Performer” by many who have invited her to perform at their functions. For conferences, coffeehouses, civic club banquets, house concerts or festivals, she does seem to have a song for everyone!

Kj’s written and co-written farming songs to represent the hard workers of the land, she’s written political action tunes to get certain groups inspired to go to bat for their causes. She seems to know her audiences even before she’s met them and provides an enjoyable – and seemingly personal – concert to each one who attends.

“I’m amazed that she can be just as comfortable in front of an audience of a thousand at an educational conference as she is with a Lions Club reception,” said one concert promoter. “And she really lights up when the audience is right with her in singing along in echoing lines and in performing hand motion songs in unison. If she can get one cross person to even smile or smirk, she feeds off of that; she re-energizes even more, and soon becomes a positive addiction to her audiences.”

Kj has a song for everyone. Having split her first eighteen years (traveling nearly every week) between the suburbs of Philadelphia and small town, rural America, she quickly learned that there are stories to be told no matter where the idea of HOME is. Learning to play the guitar at the age of twelve to the rhythm of her Uncle Jake’s porch swing, Kj early on began writing songs bout her school, her family – even her dogs! When she realized in college that she could actually get invited to special places and meet Incredible people — and even make a living as an entertainer! — she knew that this “music thing” would be forever in her blood.

The music takes me to places I wouldn’t normally just plan to go to…but end up being the places where the true hearts of people reside. That’s the gift of it all.”

Kj’s the youngest of three and kept the guitar all to herself, although her first guitar was really a gift for all three sisters! “I always justified it by saying, ‘They play the piano well so they have that. They won’t miss the guitar! This was my joy, my communication tool. I remember traveling in our old station wagon in the backseat, riding there in the middle with my guitar on my lap, and my sisters on each side – one with the butt of the guitar at her chest and my other sister having the guitar neck in her face as I played it for more than three hours each way! They were very understanding! We wrote MANY verses for ‘She’ll Be Comin’ Round the Mountain! And some we’d never sing out!’”

“I’ve been told that my subject matters are extremely diverse. But I feel that’s the way life is. I feel as though I’m being blessed and directed by a divine soul in my life who has led me in this direction. And because of that, I’m not the kind of songwriter who will typically write about loves gone wrong…there are plenty of songwriters to carry that ball. I want people to see how miraculous life can be, how much of a patchwork quilt it can be and how we are responsible for changing our own lives, if they’re not going the way we’d like them to…and that WE are responsible for making our dreams happen. I will do my best to try to spin it in the end to the positive.”

When not entertaining at concerts, Kj can be seen and heard at schools/universities, camps, hospitals, and civic clubs, Kj’s full schedule of coffeehouses, house concerts, and festivals throughout America and the United Kingdom keeps her on planes and in her old Honda.

Work Experience

Kj Motivates!

President

KJSmile, Inc.

International Keynote Speaker/Singer-Songwriter/Motivator

KJSmile, Inc.

Motivational Speaker – Singer

Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture

Director of Marketing

USAgency

Director of Public Relations

KJSmile, Inc.

Full Service Entertainment

Award-Winning Learning Early Network

As part of the award winning Learning Early Network project of the Bradford County Regional Arts Council, Kj has worked with the arts council team to develop methods for using a full scheme of arts activities to stimulate cognitive development in young learners.

The Early Learning network program of which Kj is a part, has received state and national awards in the U.S. and was selected by the Arts Council of England as an international model for early arts programming.

Through interactive music, dance and stories, classes develop and enhance the listening, gross and fine motor skills of young children.

For more information regarding the Learning Early Network, contact Bradford County Regional Arts Council, 601 Main Street, Towanda, PA 18848 or call 570-268-2787 (Towanda office)

Kj is honored to have also received several other awards for her work, including this Visionary Award.