I think all the low prices for gigs is the fault of Larry Wayne Fischer. It's all his fault...lol

Here is a quote from Wikipedia.

" Following his escape from a mental hospital (he said no one ever bothered to take him back there), Fischer wandered Los Angeles singing his songs a cappella for 10¢ US each to passers-by. Discovered on the street by Frank Zappa, Fischer became an underground concert favorite."


While 10 cents a song may not be much, perhaps it is better than the current Los Angeles "pay to play" situation....lol

On a more serious note, every once in awhile my old band Super Blue would play for free. There was no real reason except we wanted to play.

I approached a club owner in Bisbee Arizona one day dressed in overalls and pretty dirty from moving some cows around. I am sure I did not smell all that great...lol

I told her that we would come over on Saturday night and play if that was OK with her at no cost to the club. See agreed, but I have no idea why. She most likely thought I was crazy and would never see me again.I never said what sort of music we would play.

Tonya the bass player drove from Houston, Texas to make the gig and paid her own way. A couple of horn players from Tucson got wind of this and joined us. The keyboard player drove in from LA.

We burned the house down and before the night was over half the town was in the bar or out on the street.

Everyone in the band dressed to the nines and we put on a hell of a show. I even took a shower and washed off the cow smell...lol

The look on the club owners face was worth a million dollars. We never told anyone in Bisbee who we were or why we were there.

Sometimes it is fun and really worth it just to play just because you want to. No money involved, no recognition, no expectations.

Cheers,

Billy

“Amazing! I’ll be working with Jaco Pastorius, Charlie Parker, Art Tatum, and Buddy Rich, and you’re telling me it’s not that great of a gig?
“Well…” Saint Peter, hesitated, “God’s got this girlfriend who thinks she can sing…”