MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE, ALBANY, Ga. -- Sitting on stage with a microphone and his guitar, legendary blues/jazz artist B.B. King played one of his hit songs for a packed house in Columbus, Ga., April 29. Although there are many devoted fans of B.B. King, his biggest fan is waiting backstage.
Corporal Christopher A. King, administration clerk, Adjutant's Office, Logistics Command, is not only following in his grandfather's footsteps of getting into show business, he is running an entertainment business himself as well.
King, who is the owner and president of King Productions' Inc., spends his workdays as a Marine and performing his duties, but when the liberty bell is sounded, this producer and disc jockey can be found at different venues around Albany helping to expand his ever-growing company.
The Savannah, Ga. native started his business while previously stationed at Camp Hansen, Okinawa, Japan in 2003. King first started disc jockeying in May 2003 under the name "DJ U" at various events around the island, and was told he needed to make a name for himself.
"I met Mo Morris, who's in charge of Positive Productions, (an entertainment production company in Tokyo)," King said. "He heard about me when I was deployed to Thailand and after I came back, I DJed at some other concerts, when he told me that I needed to make myself known."
On Oct. 31, 2003, King's production company was licensed and on that same the day he produced his first event, "Mic Warz I." The free-style rap battle and fashion show held at the Palms restaurant on Camp Hansen helped his company take off.
"I had two weeks to organize "Mike Warz I," King said. "I passed flyers out, and around 500 people showed up. It was a great turnout."
After a permanent change of station move here in February 2005, King has expanded his production company by adding a recording studio in Savannah and by also becoming a bigger modeling agency.
"When I went home on leave, I opened the Tower Entertainment Recording Studio in Savannah. I have also continued to expand my modeling business by adding more models and by obtaining new sponsors for my models," King said. "I built this company by myself, and I'm continuing to expand. Progression is a positive thing."
With owning a business and earning a limited amount of money per paycheck, spending wisely and developing a budget has helped this leatherneck see his paycheck's grow.
"You have to know what you have to do with your money and live within your financial means," King said. "I have to pay money to sponsor different events, the workers and the entertainers. If I'm spending more money than I'm making, I can't pay anybody, and that's definitely not good."
Since arriving in Albany King has brought business all over the city and many different entertaining socialites to enjoy.
"Being a former Marine myself, I can tell that he proves to be a man of his word," said Brian Murphy, Club Extreme co-owner. "He has brought us new venues and brought us many business contacts. He's well organized and knows his products - which is the customer."
Although King produces different venues around town, his focus is on being a Marine first, which he used as a stepping stone to start his business.
"I am a Marine first and foremost," King said. "As long as the events do not conflict with work, my shop supports me 100 percent. Without having the support of my shop, I would not be able to better myself and my company."
For more information on various King Production, Inc. events, go to www.kingproductionsinc.com.