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Like many in the entertainment industry, West Kelowna musician Mike Schell has had his livelihood grind to a halt because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Schell’s LMS Entertainment started as a successful touring promotions company that brought many shows to the Okanagan.

The pandemic has resulted in the collapse of tours and shows, first in 2020 and now into 2021. Schell hasn’t performed live since last March at the OK Corral in what he believes was the last gig played there.

Realizing the entertainment sector will be the last one to come back from COVID19, Schell is adapting to keep local professional musicians playing in the community.

LMS Entertainment has teamed up with Kris Heidt of Puresound Recording Studios in West Kelowna to offer musicians a chance to record with a professional engineer and the top local professional musicians through the Elevate your Music Dreams studio sessions.

“My mandate has always been hiring local professionals and taking them out on the road and touring and audio work and jingles. Obviously, now all I can do is do recording,” he said.

Schell has over 20 musicians available for the studio session program, playing everything from bagpipes to strings.

Session musicians include multi-Juno award winner Julie Masi as well as Dennis Marcenko, a bassist who has played with Colin James.

LMS is offering four levels of packages starting at $900 available to all ages, genres and levels of players.

The program is more than recording with the top Okanagan session musicians.

LMS Entertainment also offers electronic press kit management, full music marketing and social media marketing to help musicians get their brand out there.

They have radio tracker connections and the ability to shoot live music videos.

LMS also has graphic design artists for websites along with photographers to update promo portfolios.

“A lot of people are getting creative just staying home and writing music,” said Schell. “This gives them that outlet to play with the top musicians in the Okanagan to create a meaningful project and get it out there on the market.”

Schell said the Elevate your Music Dreams sessions will appeal to young musicians who want to work with the top session players in the Okanagan, the hobby musician who is just starting to learn to play and seasoned pros.

COVID-19 safety measures are in place. For more information, go online to LMSentertainment.biz, email lmsentertainment2019@gmail.com or call 250-864-6350.