I appreciate you stopping by. Come on in and hang out with me for a few minutes to roam around my musical abode.
This place is filled with amazing musicians from across the country, powerful vocalists, masterful producers and engineers, and a ton of inspirational original songs. Decades of wonderfully crafted audio productions that I’ve been blessed to compose and produce with a world of talented musical mates.
Grab a comfy chair, a pair of your best head phones, a cup of your favorite libation, then sit back and enjoy the musical tour.
McKagan Entertainment
A music company that identifies compelling social themes, crafts dynamic storylines (scripts, characters, dialogue, librettos), and produces original compositions for musicals… all to inspire hope.
MISSION:
To create impactful, powerful, and purposeful musical content for the film and theatrical industries.
ORGANIZATION:
McKagan Entertainment is a Seattle based company with expertise in music composition and production in every genre of music. Working for over 3 decades with hundreds of highly gifted musicians, vocalists, sound engineers, co-producers, and authors from across the country, Bruce has written the storyline and music to four original musicals… and counting.
Over the past 5 decades Bruce has evolved from a performing musician, composer, to music executive and producer, while working in Seattle, LA, San Diego, Portland, Minneapolis and Charlotte.
With roots deeply planted in the fertile music grounds of Seattle, Bruce played non-stop in several popular bands up and down the west coast.
In 1979 Bruce, Beth and their three children (Heather, Bryan and Kyle) moved to Minneapolis, where he founded of Heather Productions, becoming a booking agent, artist manager. In 1981 Stuart Anderson’s Black Angus Restaurants hired Bruce to manage entertainment for over 60 of their west coast restaurants and night clubs. In 1987 he became director of entertainment for a chain of 600+ west coast restaurants and night club called Restaurant Enterprises Group Inc. (REGI). It was during this time that Bruce honed his craft of discovering, developing and managing performing and recording artists, finding new and creative ways to maximize their talents.
In 1990, Sight & Sound Entertainment, the country’s leading music video provider for business, brought Bruce back to Seattle as VP of Programming. Muzak then hired Bruce in 1995, beginning a 17-year stint as VP over various divisions of the company, helping to move their headquarters from Seattle to the Charlotte area.
At Muzak, Bruce led a team of gifted musicians, recording artists and engineers, writing and producing music for clients, including McDonalds, St. Jude Hospital, Sears, Texas Roadhouse, Lowes, Burger King and scores of others. He also helped to create and eventually head Muzak’s Heart & Soul Foundation, supporting music education for underprivileged children across the country. These two areas of focus fueled his passion of finding budding talent, putting them in the studio and watching magic happen.
Bruce teamed up with author, motivational speaker and educator, Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson, to write, produce and stage two powerful musicals, “ALL THAT DRAMA – the musical” about the real world issues teenagers face everyday.
And “NO FEAR FOR FREEDOM – the musical”, the story of the Friendship 9, nine Black students whose demonstration at a whites only lunch counter in 1961 helped coin the phrase “Jail, no bail”. With celebrated performances throughout the South East, Bruce’s gift for the creation and production of musical scores was established.
Then came the post Muzak years starting in 2012, when Bruce teamed up with author, motivational speaker and educator, Dr. Kimberly P. Johnson, to write, produce and stage two powerful musicals, “All That Drama” …and “No Fear Fort Freedom”, the story of the Friendship 9. With celebrated performances throughout the South East, Bruce’s gifts for the creation of musicals were well established.
Along side co-creator Dr Kimberly Johnson, Bruce is seen above with vocalist/actor Tommy DeCarlo (lead singer of BOSTON) and music producer Joe Carter.
A musical about the 1934 Pittsburgh Crawfords of the Negro baseball league was Bruce’s next creation.
His most recent endeavor is: “He’s Alive – the Resurrection of a Superstar”. This rock opera is scheduled for release the winter of 2021.
Bruce’s gifts of music are shared by his celebrated McKagan family of industry notables, including brother Duff (founding member of Guns n’ Roses), brother Matthew (award winning music director and teacher in LA), sister Joan (vocalist), sons Bryan (acclaimed NW bassist) and Kyle (composer/producer), nephew Chris (CJCOSMOS - drummer/bassist/guitarist/producer), grandson Brandon (BMX guitarist/composer/producer) and niece Grace (rock vocalist)
Bruce has written, recorded and produced over 150 songs, including 12 albums. Within this website Bruce features several of these recordings, and the many musical friends who have graced the studios with him.
“I have never been as engaged, motivated and active in my craft as I am today. Producing music with a purpose is the key. Being surrounded by amazingly gifted talent is my inspiration. God has truly blessed me.”
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