In 1982 Michael Jackson released Thriller, the hit movie E.T. the Extra Terrestrial was in theaters, and I became a publisher with BMI. Since 1977, when I began my musical journey alongside my father's productions, I became familiar with creating music as a passion and fueling my creativity. What I did not know at the time was that I was developing pieces of content that were intellectual assets and that I had better get a typewriter and learn to fill out forms for BMI and the copyright office.
As I transitioned into my college education at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, I learned more about composer/publishing rights. I then realized the importance of accounting for creative works. The Fishin' Hole was the show I had created several songs and music for and it aired on network affiliates in five Midwest states. With original music works in this small syndication since 1977, by 1982, at the age of 22, I officially became a BMI writer/publisher. It provided the opportunity to meeting Del R. Bryant of Writer/Publisher Relations at the time under the direction of Harry Warner who was the President. BMI helped me understand the circumstances for the work broadcast with The Fishin’ Hole and other later productions as cable networks came into existence and my production opportunity with my fathers shows became distributed on ESPN, as opposed to a network.
Originally I chose the publisher name Forked Mountain Music in 1982. In 1993 I updated to a new publishing name, shifting to something more diverse, MD Mc Kinnis Song Emporium, where the bulk of my publishing exists today.
As I continue to navigate the ever-changing landscape of the music industry, one thing remains constant – when just the right song, in the right time and place, with the right subtle presentation may touch people's hearts to be moved. Finding this moment is the whole deal.