talk to me about being a working musician.....

[hester_prynne]

Yesterday I went to a blues jam I was invited to and I sang a long ass rendition of stormy monday blues, duet style with another singer named Dan who I hadn't met before. I hadn't sang in awhile so it felt really really good and the crowd egged me on so I went with whatever it is that comes over me when I'm performing and well, it was a blast. The audience, though small, was screamin and having a blast too. It was just simply, a great time.
So, now it's Monday morning and I'm thinking to myself, why aren't I out there singing more? And then I think to myself, how? that's where I get stuck.
How does a singer, who's only connections are dirt farmers, and who is as poor as a church mouse, who doesn't play an instrument cept her voice, get work? I don't know how to go out there and advertise "my greatness". heh.
I don't know how to approach a band without feeling embarrassed and shy and rather bold if I ask to sit in.
Last night the leader guy in the jam band was telling me he was shocked when he heard me sing....he kept saying "how in the hell can such a big wonderful voice come out of such a pretty little woman".
I want to sing. I want to be in a band. I want to entertain. I want to do back up harmonies. So much!
How do I do that? When all l I have to offer is my heart and voice? What more do I need and how do I go out there and sing?
Any ideas?
H

[WIREMAN]

hester.......I have several......the open mike venues in the area where you live are a great place to get together with musicians, just ask to sing one of your best pieces, these guys are always willin' to give somebody a break, especially a beautiful talented writer such as yerself.......hest, remember this the voice is the ultimate instrument....also keep an eye out in the musicians wanted marketplace....sometimes the right thing might be there for you.......I was in much the same boat as you for most of my life, still am a loner after several band attempts in the last few years, luckily I have been playin' blues harp since high school so i can jam with musicians and over the last 8 years I've added a whole arsenal of drums and percussion instuments to accompany any occasion....get out there hest.....sounds like your truly blessed ...don't waste the gift...mark

[Arcadia]

I love blues and it´s great that you can sing them. Do it, there is always a way. I offer to you my on-line-spiritual-manager-services.
Also, if you go to Seattle, contact my cousin Luis. Some months ago he was playing as a drummer in a group of brazilian music (I didn´t understand well, he also mentioned a chello). Be careful (or not) ´cause he has the tendency to fall in love with female singers.
At this moment I can´t say for sure that he is in Seattle (Alaska, Arizona or the woods could be also other possibilites), but with time we can find him.

[Lightning Rod]

the answer to your question of 'how do I get out there and do it?' is
of course, 'get out there and do it.'

you are attractive and likable. And you have a great voice and delivery. Just go where the music is and join in. Soon they will be calling you.

I have played in dozens of bands. If you think you are at a disadvantage because you are a vocalist and don't play an instrument, you are wrong. The vocalist is always the focus. Try being a flute player if you want to feel dispensable.

The most satisfying groups I've ever played with are the ones I assembled myself. If you see a bass player you like or a pianist, ask them to come and do a gig or a session with you. Musicians are always looking for work.

Go get a gig even before you assemble a band. If you have a gig, you can get a band, believe me.

this is how bands get started

at any rate my best advice is

go do it, girl

[velveteenjimmy]

I play in a band..... come sing with us. We're into all original blues rock funk.... and on and on. We sound a bit like Zepplin/Black Crows/ Blind Melon/Doors/STP...

you can hear us at www.newmusicreporter.com under Velveteen, and down load from www.iuma.com

We do not play with that singer any more.


Jimmy.

Oh yeah we are based in Mineapolis MN.

Thanks

jimmylyback@yahoo.com
651.210.5176

[Lightning Rod]

jimmy,

great stuff. I just listened to one of your tunes. I love ska.

you're hired.

this is one of my tunes:

http://doreenperi.com/noreggae.mov

I'm playing flute and keys

lr

[Zlatko Waterman]

I sometimes envy folks who play electrified, though my "pure acoustic" ethic these days doesn't really limit the gigs I get; it's my determination to forge a genuine marriage this one pass through the cosmos I have.

Last October, for example, I played eleven gigs. It was insane. I play on weekends, but also during the week. Of course, many of the venues I play and the audiences who hear me are like outtakes of "The Beverly Hillbillies."

For seven years I was part of a house band in an Italian restaurant. But the band broke up, for the usual reasons. The leader was a Nazi about everything ( I envy a friend of mine who plays apocalyptically loud electrified country in "linoleum bars.") They all stand around in the parking lot, get stoned, then go inside and play the gig. They still like each other after four or five years.

My "new acoustic/swing/folk/country" smorgasbord fits "in the background" so well that, like many others light years better than I am (David Grisman, for instance), bar mitzvahs, weddings, barbeques, etc.. hire me readily. One of my best gigs ever was a wedding in a Moose lodge, where people danced to us and they gave us a hardwood stage made in the Thirties to perch on.

I'm fortunate that my instrument ( mandolin) and I fold up and fit into small spaces.

I have only played over a superb sound system a few times. We played a "Whole Earth" peace concert in an art deco church here in town for ancient folkies and aging Sixties types ( like ourselves) on a sound system so bad everybody complained. But the audience was so wonderful it didn't matter.

I also played in a rest home that had first-rate equipment. Odd, so few of the sweet oldsters could hear us anyway.

Having first-rate monitors is the real Roll-Royce experience for an acoustic musician. But that's very, very rare.

Our band was in the background of a "Kraft" commercial played on network tv once.

But you could barely see us with binoculars across the "Big Texas Barbecue" set.

Well, I'll stop before I start telling more war stories.

The place I'm playing now is a Farmer's Market, where the audience loves us but thinks they're really high-rolling if they leave a dollar tip in our jar.

We once got tipped two hundred dollars by one drunken guy in the restaurant.

I looked across at Harold, our bass player, as the twenties got stuffed in the jar.

As soon as he had a chance to whisper something to me he said:

"God. I'm in mortal fear of what he expects us to do for all that money."


--Z

[velveteenjimmy]

Sweet music I just heard it. Your song reminded me a bit of Steely Dan. What city are you playing in?

Jimmy

[Lightning Rod]

that tune was recorded in Dallas, but now I am outside of DC

We are looking for some music for the larger StudioEight site.

can you send me a CD? or some MP3s?

We'll make you a page.