[Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Secretary of Arts for USA

Sat Jan 10 19:35:06 PST 2009

I certainly agree for the most part.   But speaking of all that for some reason I am booking my act very well for the new year.  This month will be slow but things are looking up.  Having said all that the other bands that I often work for are strangely absent with gigs................One has completely closed down.  I was playing about 25-30 jobs a year with them.  He will still pick off a gig if one comes along but he isn't advertising or doing anything new.

Mardi gras has gotten so big here that it's getting rough to book a Valentine's day gig.  Everyone is spending their money on MG.  I lucked out and booked a Valentines gig this year.  I also picked up two new clients this week who will likely have return gigs.

That's what we do in the music business and that's stand on our merits but it helps a bunch if you go out and beat the bushes too.  Money is the grease that makes all this go around.  

I'm so incredibly happy that I can still command a good price for my talent when guys that are better, the competition is great and so many have gone by the wayside.  It's a real ego trip and I just can't help it.  The more I make the better I feel about my music and talents because people will pay me to do what I love.

An interesting quirk to the music business and government is that in my end of the business the venues are requiring paperwork for taxes and do send 1099's.  Now I don't like to pay taxes any more than anyone else but when you compete against guys that aren't paying, then it's pretty unfair.  Now there is an element of getting caught and the guys that do it all the time may have problems.   I don't consider the guy that comes in and picks off a gig or two as being important but the guys that are there all the time need to be on the same playing field that I am.  A little fear is a good thing.
Larry
St.L
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: BillSargentDrums at aol.com 
  To: larrys.bands at charter.net 
  Cc: dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com 
  Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 8:33 PM
  Subject: Re: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Secretary of Arts for USA

  Keep them far, far away!

  The government has screwed up and over regulated every single thing they've done outside of the military . . . and by the looks of it, they're about to screw that up now too.

  Don't want nobody else's money (outside of regulation and telling us how to live our life, that's all that government is, taking money from those who earned it, as in you & me, and giving it to someone who didn't), don't want their advice, and certainly don't want them regulating is or forcing some to "give" us work.

  I'll stand on my own merit and efforts, thank you very much.

  Bill

  PS, It's because of what congress has done and the recent campaign for "change" that has given you & I the current lack of work and lack of fluid capital.

  In a message dated 1/10/2009 4:06:36 P.M. Central Standard Time, larrys.bands at charter.net writes:
    I nominate me......... I couldn't do any worse than anyone they might 
    pick....Rock On!!!
    Larry
    StL
    ----- Original Message ----- 
    From: "Stephen G Barbone" <barbonestreet at earthlink.net>
    To: "Larry Walton" <larrys.bands at charter.net>
    Cc: "Dixieland Jazz Mailing List" <dixielandjazz at ml.islandnet.com>
    Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 12:21 PM
    Subject: [Dixielandjazz] Fwd: Secretary of Arts for USA

    > >
    >> Dear Friends,
    >> You may already have received this, but it is so important,
    >> I'm passing it along.
    >>
    >> Quincy Jones has started a petition to ask President-Elect
    >> Obama to appoint a Secretary of the Arts. While many other
    >> countries have had Ministers of Art or Culture for centuries,
    >> The United States has never created such a position. We in
    >> the arts need this and the country needs the arts--now more
    >> than ever. Please take a moment to sign this important
    >> petition and then pass it on to your friends and colleagues.
    >>
    >> www.petitiononline.com/esnyc/petition.html
    >>
    >> Happy New Year!
    >>
    >
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