The bands I played in were self booking bands. Initially, we approached an agent who didn't want to handle us because we were too country and we played a bunch of rock too so they didn't know how to represent us.... country or rock? It never occurred to them to book us as both. They said to be successful we had to be one or the other... not both.

So they refused to book us.

We started booking ourselves and before long had a good following and numerous clubs that were booking us at decent rates. Out of nowhere the agent called and wanted to represent us now because he had heard good things about us. We declined the offer this time. I think we did eventually play one gig that the agent had booked as a favor to him. We knew him as a friend and a fellow musician and he needed to fill a booking when a band he had booked there was unable to make the gig..... We had the date open and played it. His band, and the bands he represented were the ones that had the 8x10 glossy photos in matching suits and tuxes..... we were a bluejeans and T-shirts and cowboy hats type of band..... so we continued to do our own booking throughout. I handled the band's booking and got us into some of the biggest regional band venues in the state.

I called one place and the drummer said "man, that club is where the big bands play.... they won't even talk to us".... but I called anyway. The owner answered the phone and after a few minutes said "I've never even heard of your band"... to which I replied... "I never heard of your club either until tonight".....to which he said..."I'll give you this son, you got guts and spunk...tell you what... you can play a one hour audition for free on a Wed night.... If I like you I book you at my standard rates and if I don't, you don't call me again"... to which I replied.... "Deal!"... the rest, as they say, was history. We rocked that place numerous times until it closed. BTW: he did pay us for that audition because the place was kinda full and he asked us if we would mind playing a second set.... so we did and he paid us plus gave us several weekends of bookings to start.

I stayed on the phone with clubs and managed to keep our band booked. In addition to the weekend jobs, we played week day gigs as well. We averaged 20 to 25 gigs a month so we essentially were a full time band. I recall one time where we played 21 days in a row and had a few days off before we were back into a 10 day stint..... no booking agent would have been able to keep our band working like I did. Having a military base near the town, which, at the time used live bands on week nights really helped too, but hard work, lots of phone calls and a "go get it" attitude was what we used to keep our band working.

Last edited by Guitarhacker; 01/02/15 03:50 AM.
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