Call Today! 989-781-1553
Born in 1957, Stu Chisholm had been collecting music since he was about eight years old and began his DJ career in 1979, when laid off from GM. A collision of events; a recession, jobs being scarce, and a friend’s wedding band breaking up the night before his reception, led Stu to the realization that being a DJ could be a real career option. Stu also had the benefit of being well known as a part of a community housing co-op, whose residents could be counted on to keep him supplied with a steady stream of weddings and other events, as well as coming out to various bar and club nights that Stu and then partner, Gary, would host.
Without benefit of the internet or trade publications, Stu built his business by talking with friends, scoping out events at area banquet halls (dominated by bands at the time) and a big dose of trial-and-error. Stu also attended the Specs Howard School of Broadcast Arts and, when a funding snafu derailed those classes, moved over to the local Macomb Community College to study the DJ arts with famous Michigan broadcaster, Bill Henning. Stu also interned at Detroit album rock powerhouse, WRIF.
Not content with having a full weekend calendar, Stu looked to the local nightclub scene to fill up his remaining nights. Capitalizing on his self-promoted bar night history, he landed his first true club gig at CJ Barrymore’s in 1984. It was there he learned and improved on the art of beat mixing, and working with video. At the same time, Stu occupied his daytime hours by working at a local roller rink and at the Macomb County, Michigan AM daytimer, WBRB. Originally hired as air staff, when the station re-launch was delayed by technical problems, Stu worked with the engineering team to help bring the station back online and meet FCC specifications. He cut his first commercials there, which led to some part-time voiceover work.
For the next few years, Stu’s nightclub experience included some of the Detroit area’s best known venues, including New York New York, The Ritz, Lipstick’s, The Landsdowne (later known as the Baja Beach Club), and the legendary Wooly Bully’s.
In 2005, after a particularly well-received Letter to the Editor, Stu was invited to join the writing staff of Mobile Beat Magazine as a part-time contributor. He soon had amassed a sizeable body of work, enough so that his editor proposed he collect them together into a book form, as some of the other writers had done. Instead, Stu proposed a book of his own; an original volume that would mirror his own experience as a DJ, encompassing the opportunities available beyond wedding receptions. That book became “The Complete Disc Jockey: A Comprehensive Manual for the Professional DJ.” Released in late 2008, it became the basis of Stu’s first major appearance as a speaker at Mobile Beat Las Vegas and his seminar, “Supplement Your DJ Income… WITH DJ INCOME!” From there, Stu was asked to present on the DJ Cruise and at the Canadian Disc Jockey show.
REVIEWS
J Stu took great care of us at the Spring Meadows Country Club!! He Kept the party fun, engaged the guests and kept us on schedule…. Absolutely recommend DJ Stu!!!
Demetrius & Leslie