By Zach Manges
This year Carmel-based KLI Corp and its famous throat spray Entertainer’s Secret are celebrating 30 years of keeping singers and orators alike crisp and clear.
Originally going by the name Moi-Stir 10, the product resulted from a joint effort in 1984 between KLI Corp of Carmel and Nashville otolaryngologist Dr. Richard Quisling. Many patients of the ear-nose-throat specialist were performers who had lost their voices while in town to record. A need was presented for a moisturizer lubricant without anesthetic or alcohol, and what would eventually be known as Entertainer’s Secret was the answer. Of course, the utility of the venerable spray extends beyond rock stars.
“It’s designed for anyone with voice problems,” KLI Corp president Gordon Schmitz said.
“While it’s kind of heady to talk in terms of celebrities, there are many more who just get hoarse- the preachers, the teachers, and all of us who talk. Far more customers have need for the product in regular jobs.”
A deceptively small operation, KLI Corp primarily distributes the tuxedo-clad bottle to the shelves of music stores and pharmacies, though it can also be acquired online. It has a reach across the globe whenever its loyal patrons require, particularly for performers on the road with a sudden case of a scratchy larynx, but KLI hopes its neighbors at home will think of them as well.
“Even though our product name is Entertainer’s Secret, we want that secret to get out in this community,” operations manager Betty Miller said. “It’s non-medicinal, so a prescription isn’t needed. A lot of other products have numbing or drying agents, which isn’t good for people who value their voices.”
That effect is appreciated by just about everyone who tries a spritz. The Piano Man himself Billy Joel is the most vocal of the company’s supporters, as he openly endorses the product during concerts and keeps a bottle handy on his keyboard. Other big-name customers have included Cyndi Lauper, Katy Perry, and Brooke Shields.
“We’ve had American Idol or The Voice contestants call us because they need it overnight with their performance schedules,” Miller said. “Whether you’re a Billy Joel, a local choir member, or a third-grade teacher, we’re always delighted to be of service.”
