MINDY MCKEOWN New career began with a lunch break

A back injury ended her hopes to become an Olympic gymnast.
By JOHN BENSON
VINDICATOR CORRESPONDENT
When Berlin Center native Mindy McKeown unexpectedly moved to Cleveland four years ago -- on her lunch break from a forgettable drafting job she loathed -- to pursue a singing career, there were plenty of people taken off guard.
"Everybody," said McKeown, laughing. "My parents were completely shocked because I was living with them at the time and I didn't tell anybody. I packed up my stuff, drove to Cleveland and called them when I got there saying 'I wasn't coming home, I quit my job and I wanted to sing.' I had never sung before. Not even in school."
She added, "So my parents were really like, 'Where is this coming from? You're not a singer.' It took about a year for them to actually come around and support me on this. It was kind of like on a whim, 'What are you thinking?'"
A free spirit is how the now 27-year-old McKeown describes herself. As a teenager, the West Branch High School graduate's goal was to become an Olympic gymnast. However, those hopes were dashed when a back injury forced her to quit the sport she loved so much. The experience was devastating, which perhaps is why she couldn't let another dream die.
Unhappy at work
For years she said she'd been unhappy in her career, working as a computer designer. In fact, the ITT Technical Institute Youngstown campus graduate would often find herself spending hours on company time writing poetry and song lyrics. The last straw came days before her sudden move when a friend of hers commented on her strong voice as she sang along to a Sarah McLachlan song.
"I just did it," McKeown said. "I was unhappy. I've always been that way. If I'm not happy, I make a change."
So with no public singing experience -- not even karaoke -- to her credit, McKeown moved to Cleveland and started a grassroots campaign to become a singer. Working up to three jobs (bartender, pet store clerk, bar cleaner) at a time to support herself, she gained stage time supporting local Cleveland band 2 Skinny Dorks before starting her own group and writing her own material, which she said has influences ranging from Sam Cooke to Jill Scott.
While there was no overnight success, a defining moment happened a few years ago when she talked her way into opening for national recording artist Alana Davis at Peabody's DownUnder.
"I think this is the moment that I decided this is exactly what I wanted to do with my life," said McKeown, who assumed stage name Mindy McQ. "I called down there and I said, 'I don't have a CD, I don't write my own music yet, but I really want to be on this show. I'll do anything."
Practically overnight the resourceful McKeown formed a band and recorded a few of her songs to give the club a demo of her work. They liked it and her star began to rise. Soon she was signed to a management deal and began work on her debut album, which is still untitled and due out this fall. Among her new tracks are "Good and Plenty" and "No Place Like Home," which she described as "feel good soul."
"It's like summertime music or sitting at home around Christmas time and you put it on," McKeown said. "It's very urban R & amp;B but smooth too."
Early influences
So impressed were local promoters that she's been added as an opener for Mary J. Blige's Saturday show at the Plain Dealer Pavilion. When she reflects back on her long and unexpected journey, McKeown stresses the importance of her rural Mahoning County childhood.
"I honestly think that growing up in the country kind of forces you to be creative because you have to find things to occupy your time," McKeown said. "It's not like in the city where there are a million things you could be doing. You have a lot of time to think and be alone. I did that a lot as a kid so I think that maybe I was always headed this way. I just didn't know it at first."
Nashville is where her music career is headed next as her management and studio producers are picking up shop and moving to the Music City. "As long as I can do music, I don't care where I'm at," McKeown said. "We can make friends anywhere. Home is where the heart is."