[Dixielandjazz] Million Dollar ?

[G. William Oakley]

And I thank you for the kind words. As I like to say, "It was a little hunka
heaven."
Bill
----- Original Message -----
From: "Dottie Lawless" <1lawless@gte.net>
To: "G. William Oakley" <gwilliamoakley@earthlink.net>
Cc: "DJML" <dixielandjazz@ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Friday, July 19, 2002 7:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Million Dollar ?


> 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
> >
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>