The Story Behind The Can-Do! Project



Keith and Linda met while Keith was under contract as an Exclusive Songwriter with 4-Star Music/Challenge Records (founded by Gene Autry), in Los Angeles. Keith was enjoying success with a Billboard national/ international hit record as a songwriter and artist with the song, “Enamorado”. With this release an immediate hit, Keith fairly “exploded” on the music scene shortly after arriving in Hollywood from his family ranch in Washington State. Linda was employed by PSA at the Los Angeles International Airport. The couple married five weeks after they met. Linda quit her job with PSA and they rented a small house in the Hollywood Hills. She began co-writing songs with Keith, including “One Track Mind”, a song recorded by a group known as The Knickerbockers, which also became a Billboard National Hit. Linda signed on as a 4-Star writer as well. Keith accepted an additional position with 4-Star as an Executive Producer. During this time, top artists recorded more than 200 master recordings of Keith’s songs, twenty-five of the songs by artists who had attained the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top 100 charts. Their first daughter, Jenna, was born in 1968 followed by her sister, Jodi in 1969. Keith and Linda purchased a home in the San Fernando Valley - just over the hill from the 4-Star office on Sunset Boulevard. The Music industry was experiencing a strong trend of “Acid Rock” at this time. Young people were in a rebellious mood after the turbulent “‘60’s”, and the 1970’s continued this momentum with music reflecting the attitudes of the day. Lyrical messages encouraged young people to “go against the establishment”. There was no mistaking the POWER that these messages wrapped up in songs was having on society in general – but especially on youth. It was during this time that something began to stir within Keith – a desire to write music to communicate in more profound ways. Keith and Linda realized the responsibility of being songwriters – they were in a position to communicate to hundreds, thousands - even millions of people through their songs! Their songwriting began to take root in a stronger, more positive direction. Soon, Keith began to expand beyond songwriting. His idea was to create an initial multimedia format for positive self-expression that could enable the general public to participate in making a positive contribution to society! In late 1969, Keith was offered a new opportunity as East Coast Division Manager for the company. He accepted and moved his family to New York City in January of 1970, where a 4-Star/Challenge office was established in Manhattan. The family leased a loft apartment on the Avenue of the Americas and 28th Street. But the couple’s desire to work exclusively toward their goal became a driving force and they decided to devote all of their time to their format project, and left 4-Star. More moves followed to Massachusetts, Washington State, and later to Los Angeles (where Keith briefly re-joined 4-Star/Challenge as West Coast Division Manager in Beverly Hills); Nashville, and finally to Whidbey Island, Washington. Years of dedicated hard work have gone into the development and expansion of their ideas, talents, and business expertise. Their determination to attain “the goal” has culminated in the creation of a dynamic, multimedia project of entertainment and educational products including songs, film, video, school curriculum components, art, graphics, unique positive role model characters, and performing groups. Keith and Linda have successfully created this program to meet the original goal of creating positive social change with music as the impetus. The CAN DO! Project is now poised for global implementation. ©Copyright CAN DO! Inc. CAN DO! Inc. © 2003 P.O. Box 111, Freeland, WA 98249 USA
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Keith and Linda met while Keith was under contract as an Exclusive Songwriter with 4-Star Music/Challenge Records (founded by Gene Autry), in Los Angeles. Keith was enjoying success with a Billboard national/ international hit record as a songwriter and artist with the song, “Enamorado”. With this release an immediate hit, Keith fairly “exploded” on the music scene shortly after arriving in Hollywood from his family ranch in Washington State. Linda was employed by PSA at the Los Angeles International Airport. The couple married five weeks after they met. Linda quit her job with PSA and they rented a small house in the Hollywood Hills. She began co-writing songs with Keith,
including “One Track Mind”, a song recorded by a group known as The Knickerbockers, which also became a Billboard National Hit. Linda signed on as a 4-Star writer as well. Keith accepted an additional position with 4-Star as an Executive Producer. During this time, top artists recorded more than 200 master recordings of Keith’s songs, twenty-five of the songs by artists who had attained the No. 1 position on Billboard’s Top 100 charts. Their first daughter, Jenna, was born in 1968 followed by her sister, Jodi in 1969. Keith and Linda purchased a home in the San Fernando Valley - just over the hill from the 4-Star office on Sunset Boulevard. The Music industry was experiencing a strong trend of “Acid Rock” at this time. Young people were in a rebellious mood after the turbulent “‘60’s”, and the 1970’s continued this momentum with music reflecting the attitudes of the day. Lyrical messages encouraged young people to “go against the establishment”. There was no mistaking the POWER that these messages wrapped up in songs was having on society in general – but especially on youth. It was during this time that something began to stir within Keith – a desire to write music to communicate in more profound ways. Keith and Linda realized the responsibility of being songwriters – they were in a position to communicate to hundreds, thousands - even millions of people through their songs! Their songwriting began to take root in a stronger, more positive direction. Soon, Keith began to expand beyond songwriting. His idea was to create an initial multimedia format for positive self-expression that could enable the general public to participate in making a positive contribution to society!

In late 1969, Keith was offered a new opportunity as East Coast Division Manager for the company. He accepted and moved his family to New York City in January of 1970, where a 4-Star/Challenge office was established in Manhattan. The family leased a loft apartment on the Avenue of the Americas and 28th Street. But the couple’s desire to work exclusively toward their goal became a driving force and they decided to devote all of their time to their format project, and left 4-Star. More moves followed to Massachusetts, Washington State, and later to Los Angeles (where Keith briefly re-joined 4-Star/Challenge as West Coast Division Manager in Beverly Hills); Nashville, and finally to Whidbey Island, Washington.

Years of dedicated hard work have gone into the development and expansion of their ideas, talents, and business expertise. Their determination to attain “the goal” has culminated in the creation of a dynamic, multimedia project of entertainment and educational products including songs, film, video, school curriculum components, art, graphics, unique positive role model characters, and performing groups. Keith and Linda have successfully created this program to meet the original goal of creating positive social change with music as the impetus.