Eric Kinkel, musician and Founder of Howl Moon Productions, Executive Producer of the documentary “In Search of His Lost Cords,” which chronicles Eric’s journey after brain trauma as he explores emerging AI and advanced technologies to help restore his voice joins eHealth Radio and the Brain Health & Health News Channels.
Listen to interview with host Eric Michaels & guest Eric Kinkel discuss the following:
Eric Kinkel is an Illinois native, lifelong musician, songwriter, producer, and concert curator whose career spans decades of performance, composition, and community-driven music making. Musically inclined from the age of 12, Kinkel is a self-taught multi-instrumentalist proficient in piano, guitar, and bass, recognized for a deeply personal approach to songwriting rooted in melody, emotion, and storytelling.
Five years ago, Kinkel’s life and career were fundamentally altered when deep brain trauma caused the loss of both his speaking and singing voice. After years of consultations with doctors, hospitals, and specialists that failed to provide effective answers or meaningful progress, he was forced to confront the loss of the very instrument that defined his artistic and personal identity. Rather than withdrawing from his life’s work, Kinkel committed himself to understanding his condition and pursuing a path forward grounded in perseverance, clarity, and purpose.
That quest is documented in “In Search of His Lost Cords,” a deeply personal documentary executive produced by Kinkel that chronicles his pursuit to reclaim his voice through emerging interventional quantum-based science and advanced AI-driven technologies. Featuring rare archival footage and an intimate interview with Kinkel in his current condition, the film traces his evolution from accomplished performer to resilient seeker of answers, offering a powerful testament to perseverance, innovation, and the enduring human drive to reclaim one’s voice.
Throughout the years leading up to his brain trauma, Kinkel built a diverse and respected musical career. He performed as bassist for the band Scepter, recorded radio commercial jingles and a syndicated movie review theme, and developed a distinctive compositional voice that extended beyond traditional rock formats. He later joined the local rock band Lost Nation as lead singer and co-songwriter, solidifying his role as a frontman and lyricist. In 1987, he released his first solo recording, “A Long Time Coming,” a ten-song album featuring eight original compositions, followed by years of live performances at nightclubs, coffee houses, private events, and speaking engagements throughout the Chicago area. His recorded work continued with a digitally remastered CD single released in 1999, featuring “Antique Spirits” and a rendition of the late Michael Peter Smith’s “The Dutchman,” and a deepening commitment to collaboration across folk, rock, acoustic, and Americana genres.
Kinkel’s later performance work reflected an increasingly thematic and curated approach to live music, blending artistry with philanthropy. Between 1997 and 2004, he produced and headlined three major benefit concerts in honor of his late sister, Linda Kinkel, who during that time was bedridden due to chronic progressive Multiple Sclerosis. The concerts raised nearly $46,000 for Multiple Sclerosis awareness and support, uniting musicians across genres in a shared cause. In August 2010, he and his band Acoustic Thunder presented the “Inspirations Concert” at the Schaumburg Prairie Center for the Arts, featuring Grammy Award–winning artist Bill Miller and Chicago rock icon Dirty Dan Buck. The concert incorporated audiovisual tributes to Kinkel’s late mother and sister, with a portion of proceeds donated to the National Multiple Sclerosis Foundation. In September 2011, Kinkel produced a solo, three-set theatrical concert titled “Love Songs, Blues Tunes, and Memorable Melodies,” blending acoustic performance with guest appearances by notable Chicago musicians, including Dean Milano, Traci Abel, Patti Prendergast, Salina Norman, John Abel, and Bob Abrams of The Buckinghams. Beginning in 2019, Kinkel entered the studio to complete a final body of recorded work rooted in personal expression rather than genre, resulting in the release of songs including “Watching Clouds,” “We Are Even,” “Goldmoor’s View,” “Tracez,” “Nothing’s Wrong Song,” “Paradise On Earth,” and “Autumnal Way,” now available across major digital platforms.
In addition to his philanthropic work, Kinkel is widely recognized for producing and overseeing the creation of a permanent memorial honoring Marion Dorothy Nugent, the late mother of rock musician Ted Nugent. Following a benefit concert held to raise funds for the project, Kinkel successfully produced and erected a four-ton monument that now stands outside the Durty Nellie’s music venue in Palatine, Illinois. Dedicated in 2007, the monument garnered national and international media attention and remains an enduring civic and cultural landmark—one of the projects for which Kinkel is best known within media and music circles.
Today, Kinkel’s creative legacy and ongoing search for answers continue through “In Search of His Lost Cords,” which stands not only as a record of his past accomplishments, but as a living document of resilience, scientific exploration, and hope in the face of profound change.
Website: https://insearchofhislostcords.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheOfficialEricKinkel
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theofficialerickinkel
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