Ivan Stepanovich Klyuchnikov was born on April 11, 1886, in the village of Kokshamary, which was located in the Posadsko-Sotnikova volost of the Cheboksary district of the Kazan province. Today, this is the village of Kokshamary in the Zvenigovsky district of the Mari El Republic. He grew up in a large peasant family.

There were five children in the family: two brothers and three sisters. His father, Stepan Petrovich, was engaged in agriculture, while his mother, Anastasia Yakovlevna, had musical talents, played the gusli, and sang, instilling a love for music in her children.

At the age of seven, Ivan started school and excelled in his studies. His childhood was difficult, and at ten, due to need, he worked in timber rafting.

From a young age, Ivan showed an interest in music. He quickly learned to play the accordion and by the age of nine participated in girls' parties called "Ӱдыр сыра," performing Mari songs and dances.

After finishing school, Ivan enrolled in the Ufa two-class school, where he learned to play the violin.

Upon completing his studies in 1904, he attempted to enter the Birsk Teacher's School but was not accepted due to health issues and returned home. Under the guidance of teacher A. B. Bobrova, he prepared for the exams for the title of primary school teacher, taking the pseudonym "Palantai" in honor of her grandfather. At the same time, he organized a choir of teachers and students from the neighboring village of Kokshay.

In the spring of 1905, Ivan successfully passed the exam for the title of primary school teacher but did not become a teacher. In the autumn of the same year, he enrolled in the choral conducting courses at the Kazan Music School of the Russian Musical Society.

In 1909, he graduated from the choral conducting courses in Kazan. In 1914 and 1915, he continued his studies at the choral conducting courses at the Court Singing Chapel in Petrograd.

Ivan Klyuchnikov created the first professional Mari choir. From 1919 to 1926, he wrote numerous choral works.

He was buried in Moscow at the Vagankovo Cemetery, and in 1972, he was reburied in Yoshkar-Ola at the Turunovsky Cemetery.