[Dixielandjazz] Huge Tips

[Steve barbone]

Bob Romans wrote: (polite snip)

> A thought! How many of you have gotten huge tips?

Largest single tip a jazz band I was in ever got was $300. All the way back
in 1958. At the Melody Lounge, one weekend night. It was in Sunnyside,
Queens, NYC and a former speakeasy in the days of prohibition. Still
frequented in the 1950s by assorted good fellas and possibly mob owned.

A frequent customer was a guy we only knew as "Danny from Chicago". He was
alawys talking about moving back there and bringing us with him. He looked
like a stereotypical mobster, cigar, fedora and all.

Last time we saw him, he was in the company of two beautiful girls and told
us he was going to Chicago. Asked us to play the tune. We did and he gave us
$300 or $50 per man.

Largest single tip a band I was in ever got was $1000. It was a "society"
wedding band, 8 piece including singer. The band fee was $6500 and the best
man who paid the bill, in cash, added a $1000 tip. This was also 45 odd
years ago.

Ah, the good old days.

Cheers,
Steve Barbone

PS. Smallest tip our band ever got was 75 cents. Last year at a street
concert for a small town. A young boy about 7 or 8 came up and asked us to
play to Barney Song, (This Old House) handing me 3 quarters and running away
before I could return them. That tip meant more to the band than any others
we ever got because it was probably all the money the kid had.