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Michael John Campion (born December 4, 1962) is an American songwriter, producer and entrepreneur. He is known for resurrecting the guitar company Danelectro, numerous songwriting and producing credits, as well as a patent in product placement.

Early Life
Michael Campion was born in Moses Lake, Washington. His family moved to Orange County, California while he was in grade school. Campion formed a band (“Westbound”) in middle school and started playing high school dances before he could drive. He produced his first record for his high school, when he was 17 years old.

Bands
In 1980, Campion formed “Surf City” (originally "The Surf City Boys"), a band focusing on the music of The Beach Boys and Jan and Dean. Surf City soon had residencies at Knott's Berry Farm and Disneyland. It was at one of these shows that he met John Stamos, who joined the band on stage. Stamos would later introduce Campion to his musical idols The Beach Boys. While attending college at California State University, Long Beach, “Surf City” transitioned from playing theme parks to the much more lucrative “corporate party” circuit. Campion occasionally toured with Jan and Dean, but continued to play “Surf City” gigs, upgrading the personnel with former and future Beach Boys' bandmates: Jeffrey Foskett, John Cowsill, Randell Kirsch, Gary Griffin, Billy Hinsche and Robby Scharf. Many of these players also served as the studio and live band for a short lived project featuring songs by Campion and Kirsch under the name of “C&K.” Campion and Kirsch reunited in 2005 to release a gospel, vocal album, under the band name of "Feather."

Jingles
At a corporate gig, Campion was approached by Wild West Stores to produce a jingle for a television & radio campaign based on The Beach Boys #1 Hit, "I Get Around" – With Campion's production and rewrite of the lyrics, the campaign was a huge success and fueled his appetite for songwriting, while introducing him to the profitable world of advertising. Under the name of “Pacific Productions”, Campion would spend the next couple of years writing and producing dozens of jingles and music campaigns, often calling upon the vocal talents of Beach Boys' band members like Jeffrey Foskett and Phil Bardowell.

L.A.B. Sound
In 1986 Campion bought into a boutique music store concept called “L.A.B. Sound” and opened a location in Orange County, that strategically shared a wall with a recording studio owned by Frontline Records. Frontline dominated Christian radio in the late 80s and Campion contributed songs to several artists on their roster, including Crystal Lewis. His vocal work can also be heard on numerous record projects from that era.

L.A.B. Sound grew quickly, as they created custom guitar rack systems for the largest touring acts of the day, including; Madonna and Michael Jackson. The store eventually opened a 3rd location on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. In L.A.B. Sound’s hey day, it proudly employed some of the finest musicians in music industry – before they made their marks. (Former L.A.B. Sound employees include, Robert DeLeo of Stone Temple Pilots and studio greats Shawn Tubbs and Glenn Pearce, currently on tour with Carrie Underwood and Michael W. Smith, respectively.)

In the early 90s, as the Grunge movement took hold, the music industry gravitated toward a more simplistic and authentic sound, created by plugging a guitar directly into an amplifier. This type of sound was the antithesis of the lush, over processed tones of the elaborate rack systems that were the foundation of L.A.B. Sound’s existence.

Musical Instruments (Design & Development)
Campion met Steve Ridinger of EVETS Corporation in 1992 and they were instantly aware of their complementary strengths and skills. Ridinger had a brilliant business mind and vast experience in manufacturing. Campion had a musical background, with advertising, marketing and retail experience. The creation of music instrument products became the catalyst of a lucrative alliance.

QWIK TUNE
QWIK TUNE was the first project that they worked on together. The target was Electronic tuners. The concept was to take Liquid-crystal display (LCD) technology and simulate the analog meters used in guitar tuners. Old school guitar tuners with analog meters ruled the MI industry in the early 90s - selling at around $100. QWIK TUNE's accurate and disruptive QT-1 was introduced with a retail price of $19.95, which turned the market upside down and sold millions of units in the years to follow.

Danelectro (Pedals, Guitars and Amplifiers)
During the year that took QWIK TUNE from concept to production, Campion and Ridinger did an in depth study of the musical instrument industry, in search of other opportunities. The genre shift in popular music that led to a more “raw” sound, increased the demand for vintage guitar effects pedals. Older pedals were going for hundreds of dollars on the used market. Campion and Ridinger saw an opportunity to reproduce the sounds of the most sought after "vintage" pedals, in an affordable package. Creating quality sounds with offshore manufacturing, (to keep cost down) was a recipe that would satisfy a niche market and entice the masses. To further add value and consumer appeal, they created upscale packaging, reminiscent of their vintage predecessors – even borrowing colors from 50s model Chevrolets. The only thing missing was a brand name.

Many names were considered, but "Danelectro" had a simplistic beauty and mystique. Danelectro made inexpensive guitars in the late 50s and early 60s, which were also supplied to the Sears Catalog, under the name of “Silvertone.” Because of the low price, many musicians, including guitar heroes like Jimi Hendrix and Eric Clapton, cut their teeth on Danelectro products. There was an incredible affection for the products that mysteriously disappeared from the market at the height of their popularity. CBS purchased Fender Musical Instruments in 1965. Not to be outdone, MCA Records purchased Danelectro in 1966. MCA soon realized that they were not equipped to run a guitar company and shut it down without notice, in 1969.

Musicians had been deprived from Danelectro products for nearly 30 years, when Campion and Ridinger introduced 3 new pedals, at the Winter NAMM Show, in 1997. They looked cool, sounded amazing, were priced right and bore the individual names of “Daddy-O”, “Fab Tone” and “Cool Cat” - all under the Danelectro brand. Dealers from all over the world ordered mass quantities, but their number one question was – “When are you coming out with guitars?” In a rapid, but thorough design and development effort, Danelectro released their first model of guitar, (a replica of the 1956 “U2”), exactly one year later. The Danelectro U2 was embraced by the industry and the demand for additional models set the course for the years to follow.

As Co-founder and CEO of Danelectro Musical Instruments, Campion directed the company from inception to international success in 60 countries and nearly $20 million in annual sales. In addition to his duties as CEO, Campion led the company's product development efforts, creating more than 30 models of guitar, 40 different effects pedals and a half dozen amplifiers. Noteworthy and satisfied clients included Eddie Van Halen, Prince, Aerosmith, Tom Petty, Jimmy Page and numerous others.

Tonal Creations
“Tonal Creations” combined Campion's experience in guitar manufacturing with creative advertising, by producing custom shaped guitars for high profile companies to use as branding and marketing instruments. Guitars in the shapes of everything from hamburgers to cartoon characters were produced for clients like Mars, Incorporated for M&M’s.

Music Epicenter
Campion left Danelectro in 2002 and dove back into songwriting, placing songs in a few television shows, like “One Tree Hill”, through agencies that demanded to own the song’s publishing, in exchange for their placement efforts. Feeling that this was unfair, Campion formed Music Epicenter, with partner and mentor songsmith, Chris Falson in 2003.

Music Epicenter was embraced by independent artists, as their offering allowed the artist to maintain the publishing rights to their art. Since inception, Music Epicenter (ME) has been responsible for placements in television shows on every major broadcast and cable network, along with numerous mainstream and independent films, and advertising campaigns.

The demise of the Music Industry, in the mid 2000s, put a crimp in ME’s business model, as they found themselves soon competing directly with Major Record Labels for placement opportunities. Campion shifted focus from song placement to finding a solution for an industry in rapid decline. Lack of stable distribution channels for new artists, inspired Campion, along with ME partner Chris Falson and James Langteaux to create “PeaPod Music”, where he raised capital and filed a patent on this unique distribution and discovery process.

The Raymies
"The Raymies" was a youth-based entertainment project created by Campion, in which he also served as Executive Producer and Musical Director. As the project evolved, he raised funds for a television pilot, which he co-produced with Brillstein Entertainment Partners and John Stamos. Unlike other "band" shows, ("The Partridge Family”, "The Monkees”), these 5 young girls were a real band – singing and playing their parts, in their tweens. The lead singers were two of Campion’s three daughters. (Kalina and Kiana Campion, currently of “Rocky’s Revival.”)

In their three years together, The Raymies performed over 100 live shows from Los Angeles to New York and recorded nearly 40 songs (written and produced by Campion). Several of the songs found their way into other television and film projects. A (low quality) animated version of The Raymies was developed for the kid based, online, virtual world of "JumpStart”, whose "Raymies" followers grew from 200,000 to 2,000,000 during their two year collaboration.

Major record labels were clamoring for the rights to the music, while merchandise manufacturers wanted toys and clothing lines under “The Raymies” brand. John Stamos wrote the television pilot and Disney finally made their offer - with one catch. They only wanted Kalina and Kiana. They desired to replace the other girls with more ethnic diversity. In an effort to “do the right thing”, Campion passed on the Disney opportunity, but the internal damage was done and The Raymies imploded a few months later.

Rainbow S.r.l.
In 2011, Campion struck a deal with Rainbow S.r.l. to develop a musical television series as a platform for Kalina and Kiana's, (post-Raymies) music career. Campion would serve as Associate Producer of the series and write the music with his daughters. Rainbow is an Italian animation studio that is best know for producing the Winx Club television series. The venture with the Campions would be Rainbow's first move into live action television. Around the time that the pilot was being shot, Viacom purchased a 30% stake in Rainbow. The acquisition delayed the project and the girls (now in their early 20s) have outgrown the teenage lead characters. The show (recast) will premier in 2016 and will feature music by the Campions, along with guest appearances by Kalina and Kiana. Rainbow again called upon the sisters to sing the title track of their 2014 animated feature - "Winx Club: The Mystery Of The Abyss." Campion served as a producer on the song.

Software Development and Business Strategy
Campion approached Andy Etemadi, founder of EYEMAGINE Technology, to develop software for Music Epicenter and PeaPod Music. The deal was simple – Etemadi would oversee his development team as they built these products and Campion would in turn, help EYEMAGINE grow their business. Nearly 3 years later, the company had doubled in size (and revenue) twice. As Director of Business Development, Campion secured relationships with major brands that grew EYEMAGINE's client roster to include: Toyota, Disney, HP, Jones Soda, Alpinestars, Cinda b and iconic rock band, Metallica. The company got so busy, that they were unable to complete Campion’s projects, so they parted ways.

The lack of structure in the music industry shifted ME's focus to developing software that assists in music discovery and distribution. Software development and marketing for other clients in the industry include recent work with legendary television game show "Name That Tune."

Music Epicenter (2.0)
While Music Epicenter never "went away", it is definitely "coming back" in 2016. New software is under development to streamline the search and song placement process for Music Supervisors. ME is also expanding its artist management, publishing and television production divisions.

Personal Life
After years of dating, Campion finally married his high school sweetheart, Lezlie Gibbs in 1988. Together they have three daughters - Kylie Campion, a gifted musician, living in Nashville, and Kalina and Kiana, who were original members of The Raymies and have since formed Rocky’s Revival. Campion has led the worship band at his church for nearly a decade.

Discography

 * Love Is The Answer – Pacifica (1980) Kitchen Records - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar
 * City Lights – Surf City (1983) Nu-Surf Records - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Keys, Writer: “Summer In Huntington”, “Sandy”
 * Girl Of My Dreams - Surf City (1984) Graham Street Records - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Keys, Writer: “Girl Of My Dreams”, “I Love You More”, “One Last Ride”, “Little Lady”
 * I Want You To Know - Crossfire (1985) Graham Street Records - Credited Role: Engineer, Co-producer, Backing vocals
 * Beyond the Charade- Crystal Lewis (1987) Frontline Records - Credited Role: Backing Vocals, Writer: “Frustrated”, “Runnin’”, “Let Them Know”, “Tonight”
 * United We Stand / Divided We Fall – Benny Hester (1990) Frontline Records - Credited Role: Backing Vocals
 * New Life - Sharlyn & Rick Green (1991) Santa Catalina Records - Credited Role:  Engineer, Producer, Backing Vocals, Guitar
 * Greatest Hits (Crystal Lewis album) – Crystal Lewis (1991) Frontline Records - Credited Role: Writer – “Frustrated”
 * Rewards Of Wisdom – Thunder Bay (1992) Santa Catalina Records - Credited Role: Producer, Arranger, Programmer, Vocals, Guitar, Bass, Keys, Writer: “Rewards Of Wisdom”
 * Twelve & Twelve – Jeffrey Foskett (1997) Pioneer LDC / New Surf, Ltd. - Credited Role: Backing Vocals, Writer: “I Don’t Know”
 * Near Life Experience – Randell Kirsch (1999) Dental Records - Credited Role: Backing Vocals
 * The Best Of Jeffrey Foskett – Jeffrey Foskett (2001) (Pioneer/New Surf) - Credited Role: Backing Vocals, Writer: “I Don’t Know”
 * Santa Cruz – Papa Doo Run Run (2001) Blue Pacific Records – Credited Role: Writer: “One Last Ride”
 * Fragile Sunrise – Jeff Larson (2002) New Surf Records - Credited Role: “Sparkle To It”  Backing Vocals
 * Blue Plate Special – Papa Doo Run Run (2002) Blue Pacific Records - Credited Role: Writer – “One Last Ride”
 * Swimming In The Make Believe – Jeff Larson (2003) New Surf Records - Credited Role: Backing Vocals “Rain On Me”
 * Cornerstone Christmas – Chris Falson & Friends (2003) Music Epicenter – Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar
 * One In A Million – Dennis Wilson Tribute (2004) ESQ (Endless Summer Quarterly) Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Writer: “The Only Good Thing About Leavin’” – Artist: “C&K” (with Randell Kirsch) and Writer: “I Wanted You To Know” Artist: Gary Griffin (w/Jeffrey Foskett)
 * Prisoner Of Hope – Chris Falson (2004) Music Epicenter  - Credited Role:  Associate Producer, Backing Vocals, Acoustic Guitar
 * “Destiny’s Calling” (Soundtrack) – (2005) Destiny Records – Credited Role: Producer, Composer
 * Feather - Feather (2005) Surrender Records - Credited Role:  Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Writer: “Psalm”, “Believin’”
 * Mariner’s Christmas with Jeffrey Foskett & Michael Campion (2005) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Writer: “Merry Christmas (Say What You Mean)”
 * “Where Is She?” (Soundtrack) - Untitled Girl Band – (2008) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer, Writer: “Dance All Night”
 * Dance All Night - The Raymies (2009) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer and Writer: “Too Soon To Tell”, “I Can’t Wait”, “Nothin’ Seems To Rhyme”, “Good Day”, “I Love You More”, “UP2U”, “You & Me”, “Dance All Night”, “Why Won’t You Talk To Me”, “Someday”, “Tell Me” Producer: “Songline”
 * Raymies Rules (Soundtrack) – The Raymies (2009) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer, Arranger, Writer: “Dance All Night”, “Kalina, Where Are You?”, “UP2U”, “Things You Should Know (Real Nose-picker)”, “I Can’t Wait”, “Too Soon To Tell”
 * The Raymies Christmas – The Raymies (2009) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer, Arranger: “White Christmas” and Writer: “At Christmas Time”
 * Enough – LJCC Live (2009) Bulldog Records - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar
 * Enough 2 – LJCC Live (2010) Bulldog Records - Credited Role: Producer, Vocals, Guitar, Additional lyrics “Some Kind Of Wonderful”, Arrangement (Mash-up) “How He Loves / Falling Slowly”
 * Cure Across The World – (2010) CATW Records - Credited Role:  Producer, Writer “UP2U”, performed by The Raymies
 * Fashion Academy / My American Friend - Pilot (Soundtrack) – Kalina and Kiana Campion (2011) Rainbow S.r.l. - Credited Role: Associate Producer, Writer/Producer (Theme Song): “Here We Go”
 * Spontaneity – Kylie Campion (2011) Music Epicenter - Credited Role:  Producer
 * Places We Would Go - Rocky’s Revival (2012) Music Epicenter - Credited Role: Producer, Bass, Baritone, “After The Eclipse”, “Can You Hear Me”, Writer: “Places We Would Go”, “Breathe In, Breathe Out”, “Tastes Like Sin”
 * Winx Club – The Mystery Of The Abyss (Soundtrack) – Kalina & Kiana Campion (2014) Rainbow S.r.l. -  Credited Role: Vocal Producer
 * The Live Collection – Chris Falson (2014) Sounds Dangerous – Credited Role: Guitars, Vocals
 * Blue Water Harmony – Blue Water Music Festival Original Artists (2015) Blue Water – Credited Role: Producer, Writer: “Like A Child”
 * Newspaper Dream – Rocky’s Revival (2016) Music Epicenter – Credited Role: Producer, Guitar, Baritone, “I Hate This Song”, Writer: “Newspaper Dream”, “It Takes One”, “With You”, “Like A Child”
 * Maggie and Bianca - Fashion Friends Sound Track (2016) Rainbow - Music Supervisor, Producer, Guitar, Bass, Writer: "Here We Go", "I Can't Wait", "Relationship Game", "Inside Out"

Jingles
Advertising: Television & Radio Commercials