Daily Inspiration: Meet Luc Michaud

Today we’d like to introduce you to Luc Michaud.  

Luc, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I started music in my early teenage years… I remember kicking around a guitar and bass in grade 7. I saw my first big concert as a 13-year-old in 2000. Green Day at the Vans warped tour. After catching that front row. I was hooked. I really stepped up my practicing effort, and by the end of grade 12, in my last year of high school. I was starting to play paying bar gigs in the clubs as a 16–17-year-old. In the interim, I studied radio broadcasting at Specs Howard in Michigan. I got a job at Chum Windsor right out of school as a board op, and shortly thereafter in 2007-2008, enjoyed a few breakout hits on 89x with the band One Man’s Opinion. We had the pleasure of working with Martin Bak of SLR Studios. And to date, that was the most successful music I’ve been a part of. I took a small step back from music after that band and actually took a job working in Tax for the Canadian federal government. But after 7 and a half years of cubicles, I was ready to jump back into the music scene. I started small just by hooking up duo and trio shows at bars and casinos but escalated quickly into a career of full-time music. My main occupation is producing singer-songwriters and serving as their bands in the studio while also mixing tv and film. I run a booking agency for several clubs and musicians on the pro cover scene in Windsor and am the frontman of several acts, including Bigg Wiggle and trio de Janeiro. I have had music as my full-time occupation for 8 years now. I built my most recent studio four years ago; the whole business falls under trade name « Highland Studios» 

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall, and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I can’t say I’ve had a ton of tense moments, as I’ve always been relatively busy with all my crafts. I would say a scary moment was the first week of full-time operation with no day job to fall back on I have a few rapid-fire cancellations to welcome me to the party. It forced me to learn the lesson that when running a self-employed business, you almost have to overbook to make sure it’s always busy. The pandemic most certainly presented challenges as well as half of my business functions were made obsolete for a hot second there. 

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about what you do?
As a multi-instrumentalist, I serve as the drummer, guitarist, and bassist for a lot of my clients. I also picked up some side craft instruments like banjo, mandolin, and lapsteel as well. I prefer the « play it live » approach in my production, but I do sometimes go the modern way with some digital assistance. I think what sets me apart is my vast amounts of knowledge of the various disciplines in the industry, from performing, recording, mixing, booking, and contracting. I can even do taxes for value-added tax and personal income situations for the musicians in my network. It’s a very diverse skill set and portfolio. In a way, I serve as a developer for the artists that come through here. 

What matters most to you? Why?
Easily my three children, they are the best thing I ever did. I absolutely love my work, but I’m at a place in my life where I love doing the dad life and watching them develop. On the professional perspective, autonomy is very important, but I also always want to make sure I’m just providing quality in my services. Things aren’t always going to go smoothly or perfectly, but I feel as long as my effort is honest, the clients can feel that. Whether I’m recording a someone’s life work or singing queen covers at your wedding, I’m always going to give it the full effort it deserves. 

Contact Info:

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/highlandstudioluc

Image Credits
Heather Taylor
Syx Langemann