[Dixielandjazz] How Not to book a Senior Center gig

[Larry Walton Entertainment - St. Louis]

Oh I hear you - there are a lot of guys that will sell out for nothing. 
Trouble is that everyone has to compete in that same market and it's hard to 
get fair money.  I would hate to be a Whore trying to sell what the teen age 
girls are giving away free next door.  There you have it.

It's even worse in the Sr. Citizen market.  First of all many of them plead 
poverty and sometimes it's true.  The way I try to find out is to gauge how 
many Medicaid people they have.  If none they can afford to pay well 
usually.  Many of the homes are definitely for profit organizations and they 
don't like to pay for anything and the for profit part they don't extend to 
you.

the next problem is there is such a lot of free entertainment available. 
There are dozens of groups from the Sweet Adolines to the Shriners that will 
go out for a donation (usually $100 or less) with a group of 20 or 25.  Yes 
it isn't good quality music but that simply doesn't count.  It's the bean 
counters and ad people.  They can say they have entertainment X number of 
times per week to prospective clients.

My cornet player's wife goes out and sings at least once a week with some 
group or another for nursing homes.  She's not a pro and the group is social 
and no one makes money but the bottom line is that some nursing home or 
senior village is getting free entertainment at least once a week and it's 
hard to buck that.  There are dozens of groups like that here.

I do ok but they hire me when they can't get someone for free like when all 
the free or low cost groups are booked.  You better believe that if they can 
get a four piece band to work for the same price as I charge they will. 
There is a guy that is really bad (drummer) although he does hire fairly 
good musicians sometime will ace me out every time with a bigger group. 
Fortunately I have a show and we play fairly well so we do work but that's 
started to fall off lately.
Larry Walton
St. Louis
----- Original Message ----- 
From: <tcashwigg at aol.com>
To: <larrys.bands at charter.net>; <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
Sent: Tuesday, July 11, 2006 1:49 PM
Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] How Not to book a Senior Center gig


> Hi Larry:
>
> My remark about the leader ripping them off was a :)  joke,  to go along 
> with the joke of $75.00 FOR A FIVE PIECE BAND WHICH I CONSIDER A BAD BAD 
> JOKE.
>
> CHEERS,
>
> TOM  ( RUNNING OUT TO BUY MORE AMMO FOR FOOT SHOOTING )  WIGGINS
>
>
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