Artist, Mike Hurkmans Bio

I was born in Escannaba, Michigan. My family moved to Wisconsin when I was only 3 years old and I have lived in Wisconsin all my life until recently moving to Beaver Island, Michigan in 2000. While living in Wisconsin we owned an Internet business called Crafted By Hand selling local artisans crafts on our website. That is how I got started in using and learning computers. I only regret that I didn't buy a Mac computer at that time, life would have been so much easier. I may have had more hair left at this stage of my life.
My music career started when I was just a wee bit of a lad, I started singing in bars with a friend of mine that had a local band. I sang off and on over the years until my wife and I moved here to this lovely, peaceful island.
When I sing in public people have told me that I sound like Kenny Rogers, which I don't think I do, but people have also told me that I sound like Johnny Cash, or Willie Nelson. I guess it depends on what song I am singing at the time.
One day my wife asked me what I wanted for my birthday, and I told her that I would like a small Karaoke machine to sing my songs. So, on my 52nd birthday she bought me a small Karaoke machine and this is when I decided to start a Karaoke business. I named it Mike's Island Karaoke. Since then, I have upgraded to a pro-Karaoke machine and full mixer station. I started this business in 2002, and now with a couple of friends, it has blossomed into a full-blown digital recording studio and we started up Emerald Isle Technologies. We also have the capabilities of making our own CD+G's, which are CD's with graphics, usable in the Karaoke machines.
I have been fortunate enough to be able to move to this island with my wife and we are self-retired. We just love the lifestyle we are living now. We did start a business again, but I don't really call that work. I call it having fun!