[Dixielandjazz] To All Saloon Piano Players

[Robert S. Ringwald]

A fellow piano player sent me the following.  If any one wants to contribute
to his list, write to him personally.

Bob
mr.wonderful@ringwald.com
Placerville, CA, USA, Earth, Sol's System, Milky Way
Amateur (ham) Radio Station K6YBV


----- Original Message -----
From: "William Erickson" <sugarwillie@earthlink.net>
To: <ringwald@calweb.com>
Sent: Saturday, November 30, 2002 8:48 PM
Subject: Project


>
> When a person asks the piano player for a request, it's usually customary
to
> show ones appreciation monetarily.  It's called "tipping."  Some people
try
> to get their request played WITHOUT tipping.  Here are some of the ways
they
> go about this.
>
> scene: A sleazy bar with a guy pounding an old upright piano over in the
> corner.  On the end of the piano sits a large, transparent bowl full of
> money with a sign reading "TIPS" pointing to the bowl.
>
> ----------------------------------------------------------
>
>
> THE BET:
>
> Customer walks up and says, "My friend and I are arguing over whether or
not
> you can play 'Melancholy Baby'," and walks away.
>
>
> THE SECRET:
>
> Sexy chick slithers up and whispers in the piano players ear, "would you
> play 'Melancholy Baby?'"  Nobody else knows the request was made.
>
>
> SANTA CLAUSE:
>
> Customer walks up, hands in pockets and jingling coins.  "Would you play
> "Melancholy Baby?"
>
>
> THE LYNCH MOB:
>
> One customer in the middle of the room incites all the other customers to
> chant, "Melancholy Baby...Melancholy Baby...Melancholy Baby...!!!"
>
>
> THE POWER OF SUGGESTION:  (in this one, the customer never outright makes
> the request)
>
> Customer - (Leaning on the end of the piano.  The piano player has just
> finished a song.)  Y'know, one of my favorite tunes is "Melancholy Baby."
>
> Piano player - Is that right?
>
> Customer - (Glances down into the tip bowl, then back to the piano player)
> Do you know how to play "Melancholy Baby?"
>
> Piano player - Oh, yes.
>
> Customer - Do you ever play it?
>
> Piano player - Yes.
>
> Customer - (Glances again into the tip bowl, then back to the piano
player)
> Do you play it often?
>
> Piano player - Every now and then.
>
> Customer - (pause)  Do you enjoy playing "Melancholy Baby?"
>
> Piano player - Of course.
>
> Customer - (Long pause)  This crowd would probably go WILD if you played
> "Melancholy Baby!"
>
> Piano player - Could be.
>
> Customer - (Pause)  Well... see you around.  (Walks away)
>
>
> CORRECT CHANGE:
>
> This is the one where the customer walks up and says, "play 'Melancholy
> Baby'" while putting a ten dollar bill into the bowl and carefully
removing
> a five.
>
>
> OR WORSE YET:
>
> Puts the ten in the bowl, listens to the entire song, then retrieves the
ten
> back from out the bowl and walks out saying, "Ya call THAT 'Melancholy
> Baby'?"
>
>
>
> MY PERSONAL FAVORITE:
>
> Guy walks up waving a fifty dollar bill.  "Hey, play 'Melancholy Baby'!"
> And just as the piano player is about to begin, the guy turns to his wife,
> hands her the fifty and says, "Here, honey.  Go pay the check and be sure
to
> leave a sizable gratuity for the waitress."  She leaves as he turns back
and
> says to the piano player (whose hands are poised in mid air,)  "Well... go
> ahead... I'm waiting."
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm sending this page to the following piano players:
>
> Bob Ringwald
> Roger Snell
> Bill Mitchell
> Marty Eggers
> Jim Maihack
> Bonnie Otto
> Petra Sullivan
> Bill Richards
> Steve Thompson
> Tom Whinnery
> Burt Wilson
>
> You guys are all in my E-mail address book and, like me, have pounded
> barroom piano for a living.  Please send this on to others who are not on
my
> list.  Here's what I'm looking for:
>
> Note the exact premise I base the above vignettes on... (different ways
> customers try to get their request played without tipping).  E-mail me
your
> experiences.  I'll add them on to mine and credit accordingly.  After the
> first of the year, I'll E-mail the entire collection out to everybody.
>
> So get with it!  Let's enlighten the masses!!
>
>
>
> "SUGAR" WILLIE
>
> sugarwillie@earthlink.net
>
>
>