[Dixielandjazz] Million Dollar ?

[Dottie Lawless]

And you did a beautiful job in St. Louis, Bill.  Thoroughly enjoyable! --
Dottie Lawless

"G. William Oakley" wrote:

> First, let me say that I think being a festival director is one of the most
> unrewarding, thankless jobs around. No matter what a gangbusters lineup you
> choose, there will always be numerous questioners who ask why you DIDN'T
> invite so-and-so and why you DID invite so-and-so. It's a no-win situation."
> Wrote Bill Horton
> I respectfully disagree.  I ran the St. Louis Festival for many years and it
> was most rewarding.  I loved every minute of it and to this day continue
> relations with friends and associates acquired during that time.
> As to diversity (not the PC kind) we always tried to bring as much variety
> as  could be conjured up.  I always had to have Turk and the Salty Dogs
> because the audience expected it.  Beyond that I tried to have a differnet
> foreign group every year,  a different "kid band" (we prided ourselves on
> looking for up and coming young groups and giving them their first
> professional exposure), and I always had an unusual group, e.g. The Etcetera
> String Band.  We tried to represent different parts of the country as well.
> Midwesterners at the time had not heard bands like the Hot Frogs or the
> Royal Society and they were brought in to much acclaim.  I could go on but I
> think the point is made.  I see festival lineups that are right off the
> Xerox machine and I can sympathize with the idea that "they sell badges,"
> but there is also something to be said for stretching your audience.  I
> think we did that quite successfully in St. Louis and attendance grew every
> year.  We were also attracting younger people.  At first they came down and
> sat on the levee and listened for free but then they became full-fledged
> ticket buyers.
>
> In my opinion it can be a win-win situation.
>
> Respectfully,
> G. William Oakley
>
> _______________________________________________
> Dixielandjazz mailing list
> Dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com
> http://ml.islandnet.com/mailman/listinfo/dixielandjazz