Mighty Mike Quinn

Michael J. Quinn also known as "Mighty Mike Quinn" or "Mike Q." was born February 26, 1972 in Salinas, California. He started as a radio disc jockey in 1987. Quinn was the youngest full-time radio announcer (aged 15) in the United States holding a FCC broadcasting license at the time.

Early life

Quinn was raised in Los Angeles, California by his father and brother. Mike's father (Robert) and mother (Donnie) split when he was a child, leaving his father to raise him. His father was a self-made man, owning topless clubs and auto shops. My crew up learning to spin records at a pre-teen age inside his father's dark mens clubs at night, and working on cars and motorcycles after school and weekends. This would be the taste of entertainment Quinn would need to project him later in life.

Mike spent time in Texas as a young child.

Robert, his father, was known to suffer from alcoholism, drug addiction, and was very abusive to him and his bother at a very young age. To escape, Mike would hide on the rooftop of his father's homes and write poetry and songs, listening to his battery powered AM radio. "Sometimes his distilled spirits, liquor and drug habits would get our home electricity and water cut off for long periods of time... I hated him for that, how can a kid feel normal, we had to deficate in a bucket, urinate outside, light up a fire outside to cook, and fill up used gallon milk jugs to drink and shower... he seemed not to care, and I wanted to die to get away from him". Quinn's father died in 1990 from cirrhosis of the liver three years after Mike left home.

Quinn became a runaway, but was never reported by his father. Mike managed to find work, including being a burger boy, Holiday Inn banquet host and occasional banquet server. Quinn found himself fighting with management and his burger job one day, dumped a large soda over his bosses head and took a walk to a radio station that was next door to the burger chain. Mike just happen to be walking in as someone was walking out after being fired. The man leaving held the door for Mike, as he entered the men in the radio station lobby asked what he wanted, he said "I called about a job". They pulled him to a back office and had him read the front page headlines from the newspapper. Within moments Quinn was hired to replace the fired man exiting the building. "I had a love of music, so I called the station before they hired me, asking, how to get hired there? They would never put me through to anyone who could help me. In those days radio was Queen, and I wanted to be its King, but I had a whole lot to learn. Fortunately, I had a General Manager and the best radio Program Director Boss in the business that pushed me through school and taught me everything they knew... very giving and caring folks. That year I learned how to run TV and radio programming with my eyes closed... I was a natural, that was also the same year I found drugs. I already had energy, now I was like a rocket, and once the powder kicked in, I was known as "machine gun mouth"... I sound like a damn auctioneer with a bonus for selling out the showroom early". Quinn soon was in NA (Narcotics Anonymous) and quit his teenage habits.

Career

Quinn would begin his radio career in 1987 at KELT, a Harlingen, Texas radio station.

He worked for various radio stations throughout the southwestern United States including: KFRQ, KVLY McAllen, Texas, KGGI Riverside, California, KYSR Los Angeles, WKCC New York City, New York, KGDD, KBUS Paris, Texas, KZSP, South Padre Island, Texas, KCSE San Angelo, Texas, KATP Amarillo, Texas, KNDA, KFLZ, KBSO, KCCT Corpus Christi, Texas, WEDJ Indianapolis Indiana, WCKZ, WHTD, WXTW, WGL, Fort Wayne, Indiana, KKPS Weslaco, Texas, KZND Anchorage, Alaska and KPOI Honolulu, Hawaii to name a few that Quinn has lent his mind, hand and a voice to.

He created one of the first Hip-Hop-Rock record companies in the USA in 1987 after a friend and DJ from Chicago encouraged him to sell mix-tapes of his live performances. Quinn currently lives in the San Fernando Valley community of Granada Hills in Los Angeles, California, USA. Quinn is best known for his syndicated radio show "The Weekend Rock Countdown" from Hollywood, "Sex Advice with Heidi Fleiss" (the radio show), song writing, producing and performing on Rock, Pop, Hip Hop, and R&B albums including Pop-R&B artist, Amanda Perez.

Mike Quinn founded Powerhowse Records in 1987 and soon included Silverstone Records and Casa Records. Larger success came when major record companies began to sign Quinn's label works. In 1998 his independent record label ventures were signed to Universal Records and later to EMI/Virgin Records both in New York City, New York.

Quinn runs an entertainment management and consulting group with the focus on TV, film, music and radio. Quinn served as President of Omni Entertainment, a company developing music artists, actors, and producing music and films. Omni clients have had starring roles on shows such as ABC TV’s “E-Ring”, and on HBO films “Walk Out”. Quinn represents elite clients including film producers, directors, music artists, actors, independent and major record labels, and radio broadcasters.

In the late 1990s Quinn found ownership in brand names, music artists and partner music labels that are known worldwide. His recordings are worldwide recognized music that seems to be known to radio stations, retailers and consumers. Quinn's music specialty includes: Modern & Alternative Rock, Adult Contemporary, Hot Adult Contemporary, Pop, Classic Rock, Mainstream & Active Rock, Top 40 Rhythmic/Hip Hop, Dance, Latin Pop, Reggaeton, and Latin Hip Hop formats.

Career Points:

*Founder and President of Silverstone Distribution, Silverstone Records, and Big Hits 360, the hit music album music compilations.
*Founder and President of Quinn Media, Inc., a media consultant, marketing, and development company for over 20 of the largest major record labels in the United States.
*Founder/A&R and President of Powerhowse Records, Inc. Founded in 1987 as and one of the nations very first Rap & Rock Record labels. Powerhowse was signed to Universal Records in 2001 producing top radio hits. Powerhowse Records is currently signed to Virgin Records World Wide, with 4 top 40 radio hits, and a top 10 video on MTV’s TRL (Total Request Live). The video was executive produced by Mike Quinn and Powerhowse. Mike Quinn produced wrote and directed two other music videos that have been seen around the world and in seven countries through music video networks.
*Executive Vice President of National Music Marketing, a national radio and records promotion and consulting company. Mike was responsible for marketing, and charting hundreds of the world’s biggest music artists that resulted in millions of album sales, and countless gold and platinum sales awards for Quinn. Mike Quinn was also a promotion and programming consultant to some of the nation’s highest rated radio stations and radio companies.
*National Manager for National Artist/Plate Spinners, Inc. a Music Artist Management Firm.
*Mike Quinn Radio and TV Voice Imaging Productions of Los Angeles. Mike’s voice has been on some of the nations most powerful radio stations from New York to Los Angeles.

TV & Film

Quinn has appeared on TV in such shows as "ER", "Mad About You", "Becker", "Two of a Kind" (with Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen), "The Profiler", "The Magnificent Seven", a voice in the cartoon series "Marshmallow Man", and has made many guest appearances on television shows.

Mike Quinn's film debut came in 1998 with the Canadian movie "Rage". Mike was also credited for his part in the film "Lords of the Underworld". His company produced and cast the film at their Universal Studios offices.

Radio

Mike Quinn has 20 years in radio as an as a program director, music consultant, on-air personality including morning shows and national syndicated radio host. Creator of “The Weekend Rock Countdown”, “Sex Advice with Heidi Fleiss”... Hollywood Madam. “Riff Radio” and “Home Grown”, “The Hollywood Rock Report” and many more radio shows. Mike is known for high rated radio stations and his heavy on and off air original promotional concepts that have gotten him and his guests in trouble at times.

Mike’s real radio programming training was under the wing of Jacobs Media, the creators of multiple music flavors including “Classic Rock” and “Alternative Rock”, music formats that are now part of Americana forever.

In Mike Quinn's 20 plus years in the broadcast field he has produced or written ad campaigns and commercials for Ford, Coca-Cola, GM, Budweiser, Miller Beer, Taco Bell, McDonald's, Weight Watchers, CBS, NBC, ABC, Wal-Mart, Warner Bros., and hundreds more.

Quinn has been known as “Mike Q.”, “Mighty Mike Quinn”, “The Engine Room” or "Harold-Road Productions" as his producing team is called. Quinn and his producing team have worked with or have been part of some of the biggest records of the past 20 years. From Rock, Rap, Pop, Adult Contemporary, and more. Aiding in producing or songwriting for many big name artists. Mike Quinn and his team have publishing deals with EMI and Sony.

Quinn has been hired as a consultant or media agent by the world’s biggest record companies, and has helped yield countless millions of record sales, and top air play status for clients over the many years he has worked with them. Mike Quinn's client list includes: Universal Records, Columbia Records, Epic Records, Virgin Records, Island/Def Jam Records, Roadrunner Records, Interscope Records, Atlantic Records, Wind-Up Records, Sony Records, EMI Music, Warner Records, Geffen Records, RCA Records, J Records, Hollywood Records, Lava Records, Reprise Records, Jive Records, Victory Records, and many others including some of the most solid independent labels in the world. Quinn's labels have direct ties on Universal Records, Virgin Records, and EMI world wide.

Clients

Mike Quinn has maintained and delivered music charting radio airplay for some of the world’s biggest artists. Quinn's client list is extensive, and it has been with some of the absolute elite in the music world. Just some include: Creed, Jennifer Lopez, Aerosmith, Nelly, Kanye West, Celine Dion, Madonna, U2, Michael Jackson, 50 Cent, Green Day, Hillary Duff, Snoop Dogg, Clay Aiken, Eminem, Garth Brooks, Missy Elliott, Linkin Park, Alanis Morissette, Fat Joe, Mariah Carey, The White Stripes, Shakira, Outkast, Pearl Jam, Dr. Dre, Nirvana, Kelly Clarkson, Beck, Matchbox 20, Rob Thomas, Def Leppard, Weezer, Goo Goo Dolls, Moby, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Radiohead, Crazy Town, Dave Matthews Band, Disturbed, Slipknot, Sevendust, Evanescence, Hall & Oates, Scorpions, Smashing Pumpkins, The Offspring, Nickelback, Incubus, and many others.

Music Manager

Quinn and his people have managed and worked as A&R advisory with Shifty on Maverick Records, Crazy Town on Columbia Records, Poe on Atlantic Records, Amanda Perez on Universal Records, Kenny Wayne Shepard on Warner Bros. Records, Vallejo on Columbia Records, Pauly Dupree on Sony, Amanda on EMI/Virgin Records and many others.

Quinn's competitive edge is his abilities and understanding all aspects of entertainment including the business side. Known to travel when needed on behalf of his clients, in a 2002 interview regarding "Making It Big" on WJFL-TV, Quinn said "I spend more days away from my home than anyone I have ever met in the entertainment business... in the last 365 days I was home 24… This allows me to work direct and in person... the way business used to be done by my grandfather".

Quinn has covered tour dates with the biggest artists, and walked other artists directly into radio stations for interviews, live on-air performances and to meet the radio people who give them a shot. Quinn coined the phrase "Uniqual Marketing".

Controversy

In 2002, Quinn was questioned about his relationship with the Hollywood Madam Heidi Fleiss during a TV interview. Quinn was asked if the rumors were true about him and Heidi having a private love affair and a partnership in a love triangle that included actor Tom Sizemore. Quinn denied the allegations and said the questions and statements had no merit. Quinn’s publicist would later say they spent time together for work related matters. Heidi Fleiss was convicted in connection with her prostitution ring with charges including pandering and tax evasion. Her ring had numerous famous and wealthy clients, including Charlie Sheen. She was sentenced to 37 months in prison for her crimes but served just 21 months. Quinn was known to spend time with Heidi Fleiss at her home in Beverly Hills according to reporters.

In 2003, Fleiss accused her ex-boyfriend, actor Tom Sizemore, of domestic violence and other threatening behavior. Sizemore was convicted by a California jury of domestic violence, making criminal threats, and making obscene phone calls during the time Mike Quinn was working on a talk show with Fleiss. In 2004, she sold the rights to her story to Paramount Studios for $5 million dollars.

In 2002 Mike Quinn and his brother Rob Quinn (the family bodyguard and tour manager) found themselves in a standoff with national concert promoter Ron Escaberra and multiple security guards for Escaberra in Riverside, California after a scheduled performance by Amanda Perez. Eyewitnesses say shots were fired toward the tour bus the Quinns occupied with the touring Perez. The Quinns rammed a way out of the gated venue to safety while returning shots. Police were called, neither parties pressed charges and no one was arrested.

Later that same year, a similar situation occurred in a Las Vegas, Nevada night club when a club promoter failed to pay a Quinn artist for a scheduled show performance. Words and shots were exchanged after the club had closed about 3:30 am. Three people were hurt including Quinn, a club bouncer and the club promoter. All were taken to an area hospital and released. Charges were never filed.

Mike Quinn married the former Mia Tichenor, wife of the late McHenry Tichenor, a pioneer of Spanish-language broadcasting who passed away at age 98. Mia's Ex-husband was owner of Valley Morning Star (news paper), TCI (Tichenor Cable Inc.), now Time Warner Cable, and the pride of the Tichenor built family-owned empire, Tichenor Media Systems (a radio and TV group). Tichenor merged with Las Vegas—based Heftel Broadcasting, the nation’s largest Spanish-language broadcaster and based the company in Dallas, Texas. With $147 million in revenues and a large portfolio of radio stations with an estimated worth of 2 billion. Talk surfaced about Mia's stake in the company after McHenry Tichenor's passing and the future of the broadcasting group.

News reports were of Mia entering Mike Quinn into a prenuptial agreement and of her fair hearted desire to give the company to her step son. Today the company is known as Univision Radio. Mia Tichenor divorced McHenry Tichenor and settled for an undisclosed amount. Mia Tichenor married to Mike Quinn in a private ceremony in May 1991 inside a Texas hotel ballroom with hundreds of Tichenor company personnel in attendance from all over the U.S., including 97 year old McHenry Tichenor himself.

Mike and Mia have four children, two adopted, and two of their own. Justin, Arla, Brianna, and Cody. Brianna is following directly in her father's steps as a DJ, music artist, and as music executive within her father’s production company.