Small Business / Jun/Jly 2012
Melody Klemin
Growing up in Long Beach, Melody Klemin remembers taking piano lessons like so many other kids do, but it was not until her grandmother gave her a guitar, which had belonged to Klemin’s grandfather, that she became hooked on music.
And, as it turns out, that guitar would carry her through good times and bad. It was during her time at Cal Poly as a student that she became serious about her music while also recognizing its power to unite people and create community. It did not take long for her dorm room to fill up with friends and neighbors wanting to sing along and hear what else she had written. According to Klemin, “The guitar is such a social instrument, and I love how it can bring people together – it can also be very healing.”
After graduating, Klemin spent much of her time teaching music to children in local public schools. Now, along with her partner, Savannah, the San Luis Obispo-based couple have two children of their own at Pacheco Elementary. With a busy family life, she states that “music is the way I center - music is what fuels me emotionally.”
Klemin, who describes her music as being somewhat similar to “contemporary folk, acoustic love harmonies, with interesting melodies” she laughs at the obvious play on words. “My parents both loved music, so they thought ‘Melody’ was the right name for me.” When asked for a sampling, she pauses for a moment, looks off into the distance with her piercing blue eyes, and in a style reminiscent of Bonnie Raitt or Sheryl Crow softly sings a verse from a song she wrote called “Cannoli.” I never guessed that you’d be mine / cannoli to go and a bottle of wine / you gave me a second chance given the circumstance. She shares that Cannoli is a love song, but admits that it is also one of her favorite desserts, and “a great symbol for how sweet love is.”
Today, Klemin works at the Performing Arts Center as a marketing and outreach coordinator for children’s programs, and she performs as often as she can, usually at weddings and artistic events. Her soft, folksy, acoustic style lends itself well to elevating the mood of a gathering without dominating it. She is working on completing a new album, which she expects to finish by the end of the year and looks forward to a time when she is “doing music all day long.”
It would not be hard to imagine Klemin doing music all day long professionally. As with so many talented artists, she seems to be just a lucky break away. Her unique sound combined with a disarming sincerity combine for an experience that runs counter to the loud and in-your-face contemporary pop culture that is pervasive in today’s Top 40. But, it’s not stardom that Klemin is aiming for; her objectives seem much more grounded, so it comes as no surprise when she says, “I feel free when I’m playing music - it’s such a blessing to be able to play and perform.”
