About John Kiehne
John Kiehne (KEE-nee) was born at St. Joseph’s Hospital in St. Charles, Mo. on June 2, 1967. (interestingly enough just a few hundred yards from Missouri’s first State Capitol) and he attended public schools in St. Charles. As a child, John developed an early interest in music as well as engaging in hobbies such as assembling model airplanes and becoming a licensed Amateur Radio Operator. He started playing saxophone in the school band in 5th grade and continued to be involved in school band programs such as marching band, symphonic band, pep band and jazz band throughout his school years until he graduated from Francis Howell High School in 1985 and beyond. However- discovering the guitar in 5th grade defined the whole rest of his life.
John’s parents (and much of his extended family) were career public school educators in primary, secondary and post-secondary education in Missouri. John’s mother Ruth was a public educator for many years working in the Hazelwood and Francis Howell School Districts until her retirement in the 1990’s. His father Dick Kiehne grew up- and retired to- the Kiehne family farm near Cape Girardeau, Mo. where John would explore, shoot, and “help” as a child. The Kiehne farm has been in the family for over 130 years and his mother, brother, and oldest son still live in St. Charles County.
After high school John studied guitar and bass in music programs at the University of Mo.- St. Louis and Webster University as well as touring the U.S. with a number of musical groups. John’s career as a professional music performer began during his high school years when he began performing regularly around the St. Louis area with a variety of rock bands and has extended up until the present day. When not in class, practicing, or performing John worked a number of restaurant jobs in the St. Louis area including cooking, busing, delivering and serving which including at McDonald’s, Pantera’s and the Olive Garden.
In 1991 John moved to Boston, Massachusetts in order to seek his fortune as a musician and ended up staying there for 10 years. During that time he performed and recorded with a wide variety of musical acts including his own. He also started working as a recording and live sound engineer producing original material and mixing local, regional, and national acts. In the 1990’s John also worked at a variety of restaurant/bar jobs in Boston doing everything from washing dishes and cooking to being a barista, bar back, bouncer, sound engineer, server, and manager.
John moved back to St. Louis in 2001 to spend more time with family and started a small independent music label as well as running a small independent recording studio. He moved to the Central West End in 2002 and thus began a prosperous era of full-time music instruction as well as performing on a regular basis until the recession in 2008 decimated his client base of mostly prep school kids from Clayton, Webster Groves, University City, Ladue and Creve Coeur. This was also about the time that John met his wife-to-be Michelle and they entered into the “raising other people’s kids” era of their lives which continues today. Michelle was a well-respected personal trainer for many years and has spent the last decade as a Financial Advisor working in the Finance Industry.
John owns a small business- Kiehne Media- LLC, and he produces music, video content, web content, and graphic design products.
John and Michelle have been married for 16 years and have 4 grown children. John has one biological son from a previous relationship and they raised their niece and 2 nephews as well. He and Michelle now spend time raising their 2 young children while pursuing multiple challenging careers. John is running for Missouri State Representative in order to fight for his family, your family, and in order to support efforts to make our country more safe, healthy, prosperous, and just. He believes that a rising tide raises all boats and that most Americans share values of kindness and honesty as well as possessing an unstoppable work ethic and desire to progress beyond the borders of our country and our imaginations.
In addition to running for State Legislative seats 3x in the last 6 years, John Kiehne has held a number of leadership in the Democratic Party including State Committeeman representing the 26th Senate District in the Missouri Democratic Party’s State Committee, Vice Chair for the 3rd Congressional Democratic Committee, Treasurer for the Franklin County Democratic Central Committee, and John served as a Biden delegate in 2020 and 2024. John now serves on the St. Louis County Democratic Central Committee as the Committeeman representing Meramec Township, as the Chair for the 88th Legislative District Democratic Committee, as the Chair of the 26th Democratic Senate District Committee, and as the Committeeman representing the 26th Senate District on the Missouri Democratic Party’s State Committee. John has hosted and participated in a wide variety of events supporting Democratic values throughout the East Central Missouri region and around the state as well.
SUPPORT TEAMKIEHNE!!!
TEAMKIEHNE is a grassroots campaign powered by people who want to see the the Missouri House be more effective and more responsive to the needs and challenges of the residents of Missouri's 88th House district, the St. Louis region, and the state of Missouri. As the next member of Missouri's General Assembly representing Missouri's 88th House District, John Kiehne will have the opportunity to influence and improve state policy and seriously address the welfare, health, safety, and prosperity of Missouri residents, businesses, organizations, and institutions.
