Today we’d like to introduce you to Josh McClure.
Hi Josh, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
My DJ journey began in second grade when I won a boombox that could record cassettes. Listening to 90s pop, I fell in love with music’s power to unite others. I began making mix-tapes for my family and DJ’ing as many public events as possible. During college at St. Thomas, I learned the professional side of weddings when I worked for a local DJ company. After graduating with an entrepreneurship degree, I continued my DJ career as the resident DJ at several local bars and clubs, including Bootleggers, The PourHouse, and The Wild Onion. In 2010, my career took off when DJ Vaughn Solo took me under his wing and trained me in the technical art of DJ’ing. He had learned from KC legend DJ Ashton Martin. My wife and I moved to Colorado in 2013, where I operated and taught at a DJ school, did backline work for the local EDM promoter, and headlined for the leading wedding DJ company in Denver. One of the highlights of my west coast career was DJ’ing at RedRocks, and for Steph Curry’s basketball camp in San Francisco. After my wife and I had our first child, we moved back to Minnesota and started Harmony DJ Entertainment; a wedding DJ boutique focused on booking “dope DJs who care.” Harmony was founded in 2016. We have performed at over a thousand weddings and in front of hundreds of thousands of people. We currently have 12 performing artists who are talented, caring, and magical. We are proud of what we have accomplished as a team and where the Twin Cities is going as a DJ community. Hopefully, one of our four children will someday join the Harmony team.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
For the most part, it has been very smooth because I have had the unconditional support of my wife, Shanna. As with any business, however, there have been some bumps along the way. The biggest hurdle was, of course, the pandemic. We went from a record-setting year to 0 events in a matter of days. It was wild! This experience forced us to become resilient and lean into our creative energy. We developed a Photo Booth and live instrumentalist division from the pandemic and elevated our event production. I credit my right-hand man, Ben Nordquist, for his business acumen, vision, and support throughout the ups and downs. What I’m most inspired by is that our team has had each other’s back unconditionally whenever we’ve had a challenge. Somehow, we’ve maintained a 5-star rating on both Google & The Knot. More importantly, we’ve been able to generate joy with our couples and their guests!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about Harmony DJ Entertainment?
We specialize in DJ’ing weddings and private events. Although we have traveled across the country, most weddings are in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. In the DJ world, there are typically club-style DJs who are amazing mixmasters and radio-style DJs who are amazing MCs. Created harmony to help wedding couples find those DJs who have mastered both skillsets. What we have discovered, however, is that a third skill set is needed for skilled wedding DJs, and that is someone who is an amazing human. By partnering with DJs who carry all three skillsets, we have been able to build a unique boutique brand. I think that what I am most proud of is how much of a family our team has become; by sending two DJs to as many events as possible, we have been able to foster synergy. I am also most proud of how our DJs value continued education. Everyone has grown leaps and bounds year to year, and I am so excited to see where their careers take them. Formed harmony to unite humanity one dance floor at a time, and all of our DJs believe in this mission to generate waves of joy at each event they get the privilege of entertaining.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
Our perfect couple loves trendy music, values caring vibes, and has a mission to unite the world because this is a record year for weddings. There has been a temptation to book as many weddings as possible. However, we have been doubling down on our amazing team, growing organically instead of scaling too quickly—shoutout to all of our industry friends who have inspired us and supported us along the way. Stay tuned for more exciting news by following our Instagram @harmonydjentertainment.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.harmonydjentertainment.com/
- Instagram: instagram.com/harmonydjentertainment
- Other: http://mixcloud.com/iamjedijosh
Image Credits
Kira Savage Photography Willis G Photography Nicole Ashley Photography LLC Dave Puente, Inc. Lindsey White Photography
