DJzone 2000 American DJ Awards -
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Published on: 5/1/2006
Last Visited: 5/19/2008
For the past five years, Ken Knotts the producer of the American Disc Jockey Awards, has no doubt been plagued by such dreams.Ken's dream is to have a show equal to the Oscars or the Grammys for the DJ industry.Ken's persistence and his "build it and they will come" attitude is what has taken his awards show from it's humble beginnings at the Maxim Hotel in Las Vegas to the grand production that people gave witness to at the Tropicana Hotel on February 21, 2000.
Ken did his first DJ gig in 1966 as the seventh grade class president of Ball Junior High School in Anaheim California when he was asked to bring his record collection to the school for a dance.When he questioned them as to who would be spinning them, they responded "You will!"and he has been entertaining ever since.His love for photography came in High School were one of his pictures was purchased for $500 and he knew then that taking pictures was one more talent he could be paid for.Through the years, Ken has excelled in both his photography, which has been seen on magazine covers and calendars, and his DJ talents which have been hired by the Hollywood jet set to play for many exclusive events.
In 1993, Ken started the California Chapter of the American Disc Jockey Awards.He knew by working together, the professionalism of the local DJs would be raised.It took teamwork to get the organization to the level it attained over the next two years and in order to reward those that excelled in his chapter, Ken had the idea of a small awards banquet.
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With the introduction of a real production staff and a highly experienced stage manager, and a professionally produced audio system supplied by Peavey, this years show made it even closer to attaining the level of respectability and professionalism Ken has visualized.Ken admits he could not have done it without the support of many of the manufacturers that believed in his dream, such as Gemini Sound Products, American Disc Jockey, Peavey, and many more.He said it is a sign that we can come together at one function for a common cause, to promote professionalism in our industry and award those that are deserving.
This year Ken, once again striving to make the show better, made the announcement he is moving it to Anaheim California where it will be held in conjunction with the Worlds largest music convention, NAMM."It was the next step ... " Ken says "and they are accepting us with open arms."When asked what made him take such a huge step, Ken explained he was tired of the grief associated with producing a show in Las Vegas during the Mobile Beat Show.He went on to say a major problem with the Las Vegas location was the more than $5,000 in dredge he had to pay to do the work that regular DJs do every weekend, plug in speakers, set up lights, etc.He also felt that his support from Mobile Beat Magazine had dwindled to the point that they placed a free event directly in competition with his show two years in a row, including this year were they had a free badge pickup party with food and live entertainment for their show attendees.In the beginning, he was told by the publishing staff of Mobile Beat that he would never get DJs to dress up in tuxes for a formal awards show.Ken now sees that he has taken his award show beyond what both Mobile Beat and any of the naysayers had ever envisioned, a star for the DJs everywhere to reach for.
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