RJ - Owner / Producer

   Karaoke by RJ and Associates was formed by accident.  RJ was a karaoke and assorted sound equipment salesman/owner/president for R.J. Roddy Company, Inc.  representing Nikkodo/BMB of Japan. He called on bars and night clubs, offering them an opportunity to own their own karaoke show as a device that would enhance their slower night's business.

   RJ would offer to do a night's show for $250.00, if they would promise to attend, but would apply the same $250.00 against the total purchase of equipment.  Karaoke equipment cost at least 60% more back then (late 1980's to 1991).  Frequently, the club owners would ask him to continue as a host, but not be willing to invest in the equipment themselves.  So, in the first week of February of 1991, Karaoke by RJ was formed.  As the company grew more shows were added and RJ needed KJ's,  so the name was changed to Karaoke by RJ and Associates.

   RJ, an avid singer for his own love of music, started three different quartets, the last at Eastern New Mexico University, where he was a voice major on scholarship.  Norman Petty, of the Norman Petty Trio, asked RJ's quartet to do background singing back up sounds at his NorvaJac Studio in Clovis and his trio had several recordings sell over a million and he was instrumental in getting Buddy Holly into the professional circuit.

   Norman Petty was quite a source of encouragement to RJ, but marriage, family and Vietnam made him decide to put up his music for decades.  For decades, music to him was listening to the radio.  However, the first time RJ, as a single man, sang at a karaoke bar, the old love of singing was rekindled and has never diminished.  Knowing how it benefited him, he now tries to teach the value of singing to others.

   Money has never been his incentive to continue this enjoyable vocation and when it stops being fun, he will move on to something else.