Rodney Kelley did his first paid performance in the seventh grade.

(The Tennessean, February 1997, article written by KATHERINE DARNELL)

Rodney Kelley, 34, Magician

JOB DESCRIPTION: "Go in, amaze and have fun!" He

Performs at birthday parties , churches, company parties, schools and conventions at OPRYLAND HOTEL. If the convention has a theme, he dresses and coordinates the magic to fit the theme.

EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND: Private lessons from a magic teacher at Abbott's, a magic shop in Michigan.

HOW LONG HE HAS BEEN DOING THIS: Kelley got his first check for a performance "for doing a show in seventh grade--$10 for a 30-minute performance-- and I was thrilled to death. This is a hobby turned into a profession. I didn't know i could live off this, but it just happened."

 

HOW HE GOT THE JOB: A job at OPRYLAND'S LAUGHING PLACE THEATER got his career rolling. He landed the job through a three-minute interview. "I did about two tricks and got the job. There were seven entertainment personnel watching, and by the end of the three minutes I had all seven laughing hysterically."

BEST THING ABOUT THE JOB: "Watching an entire audience gasp at some trick." Also, "When you see 250 people laugh at the same time, that's the best part of it. I try to amaze, but if I make them laugh, I feel as though my job has been done."

WORST THING ABOUT THE JOB: Cleaning the cages of his eight doves and two rabbits.

HIS BEST MOMENT EVER: "There was a lady who didn't want me to use her child in the magic show at OPRYLAND. I always pick the child with the biggest smile. Turns out the girl was handicapped and couldn't walk, so I walked into the audience, picked her up and put her in the chair and did the show. The audience loved her. I'll never forget her smile. I told the mother we don't discriminate. We Accommodate."

FIRST JOB: OPRYLAND'S Laughing Place Theater for 11 years. Before that, birthday parties.

WHAT HE DRIVES: A 1998 Toyota Tacoma truck.