[Dixielandjazz] freebies

[Cebuisle2 at aol.com]

The subject has come 'round again. 
 
Some years ago I started a Dixie band. Since we practiced in a college  
rehearsal hall a few feet from the Southern railroad tracks we named the band  "The 
New Whistlestop Dixieland band" The huge banner I had made still hangs in  
the basement-
 
We had a lots of Tuesday night fun, and then the guys got to thinking they  
were pretty good, so the inevitable requests to "play my club, play the old  
folks home, play my church benefit etc" started to come in.
Heck, we even played the annual United Way charity drive dinner for free! 
And then, the trumpet player, a fellow with a big ego,  announced to  us he 
had ":booked" us into the annual  
Carousel Festival, a biggie in our town. 
Hadn't bothered to check with me.  "No, we wouldn't get paid. Yes  there was 
another band, a rock group. Yes, they would receive a thousand dollars  for 
their efforts." At this I finally drew the line. Flat out refused to play  
unless we were also compensated. The rest of the band went along with the  trumpet 
player and I found myself the ex-leader of a Dixieland band. The trumpet  
player substituted his wife on piano for me-but when they got there they found  
the city had forgotten to supply a piano!
 
Probably others have had experiences like mine, but with longer careers in  
Dixieland! Tom is right-you rarely get respect when you give away your  
services-
 
                                                                              
           Happy New Year to All!!
                                                            Ted
 
 
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