Working Without Pay

[Joe Casey]

We had a few bands that started the Sunday Jam thing as a way to build the crowd and the Owners then started dictating to them to have them. The House band always got paid and they used the 3 free drink thing to lure other bands in. I learned my lesson after a couple I put on that the owners only gave draft beer and charged the Musicians for the feed. On the last 7 day sit down gig we had ,when I was asked (told)to have a Jamboree I would never asked other bands and the club would just put the notice on the Radio adds and the Newspaper adds. If Pickers wanted to come we made our equipment available but they came on their owm. But it was one of the best clubs to play so they would show up on there own and try to get the Gig. That never worked.

[Bill Sinclair]

Around here there are several venues that will have a blues/classic rock jam night. The house band gets paid and local musicians as well as wannabes sit in for two or three songs. For me, it turned out to be a great way to network with other musicians when I wanted to get back into playing out. I was invited to join a band that I enjoyed playing with for a couple of years (sax & harmonica). The bass player for that band is now a bar owner that frequently hires the band I'm in now. While such jams are probably not a practical outlet for a pedal steel, if someone brought a lap steel or armpit guitar to one of these jams and made it know that you play pedal, you might generate some interest.

I was invited to join my current band as a result of playing free at a backyard birthday party. So, sometimes it works but neither of those instances was a bar owner expecting a band to play for nothing. Wouldn't do that.

[Rick Campbell]

I've played shows where I got paid a lot more than I thought I was worth. Maybe it all balances out.

RC

[Donny Hinson]

I hope all this bitterness doesn't come out in the music.

It probably won't. I suspect players full of bitterness don't get many calls to come and play.

[Steve Spitz]

If you're bitter about the gig, don't take the work.

That's one way to avoid bitterness.

If you don't allow yourself to be taken advantage of, you won't be taken advantage of .

I've politely declined gigs I know I won't enjoy, or aren't rewarding enough in any way.

Sometimes you have to take a gig you'd rather pass up, to be a team player, or help the band who may be more dependent on the slim payout. In those situations, if I agreed to take the work, the professional thing to do is not be the buzz kill. You took the gig, be a pro and play it without any attitude.

[Dale Foreman]

Do like my old friend used to do ... Check out the infamous Rufus Thibodeauxs business card. RIP my old friend!

[Kenny Burford]

Anymore I play a lot for free because I like to pick and choose when and where I play and try to do as many benefits for children's causes as possible. I am fortunate to have a good day job and would rather put my efforts towards helping organizations in need than a night club owner. With that said I still play night clubs, bars or whatever name you wish to call it, but I attempt pick and choose who I play music with and I don't like assisting a club owner who does not respect the live country music business. But my life wasn't always like this and it's why I got to the point for several years that I did not attempt to play out and would not join a regular band. However, with all that said I have to agree with Mr. Jeff Bollenttino that I have heard some bands that were not entertaining and others that I hated to hear them announce it was their last song of the evening. I am guilty of being a member of several bad entertaining groups, but fortunate enough to have been a small part of some groups that put on some outstanding performances. IMO appearance and being entertaining is every bit as important as the quality of performance and really it's impossible to consider yourself a professional if you and your group do not address all three when on stage. Yes, I have seen some outstanding bands that were not dressed up and usually I was only a hand full of people that were there to see them. I had a patron once tell me that it bothered him to see a band on stage that was dressed in lessor quality of clothing than he wore to go out for the evening. He felt like they were being disrepectful of his entertainment dollars. I don't know if there are anyother patrons that feel this way, but I do know that crowds tend to have a great deal of respect for the acts that go out of their way to look like they have special clothing for their performances. Likewise, entertainers that put a great deal of effort into their performances usually can demand more from the venue booking them. Those are just my observations, but I am sure that for every point I have made someone here has an equal argument to the opposite. I will just say that I like being a part of a popular band that plays to what the patrons want to hear; and I like being part of a band when I know I am the weakest musical member of the band and working like the Dickens to keep up with them. Enough said. P.S. As for the gentleman who said he would burn his instrument before performing for free, if it's a Tele please tell me where the fire will be as I will want to salvage what's left of it. LOL!!!

[Rich Upright]

"As for the gentleman who said he would burn his instrument before performing for free, if it's a Tele please tell me where the fire will be as I will want to salvage what's left of it. LOL!!!"

Actually. YES; it IS a Tele...specifically a FIRST YEAR ('89) Custom Shop Tele, signed by Danny Gatton & The Hellecasters. "course since I never play for free, there ain't TOO much of a chance of me burning itLOL!

[Bob Sykes]

Interesting thread.
Ironic that musicians performing at the world most expensive sporting event (super bowl) don't get paid.
Sure it's only a few songs but that's just wrong...

[Mark van Allen]

Okay, well the Super Bowl gig may actually be one of the very few where there's actually beneficial "exposure". I would probably agree to that one.