My first paid gig (and one of my earliest performances in front of an audience) was for the Clay County Coon Hunters, in Clay County, MO, in 1962 or 1963. My PE teacher at William Jewell College (Liberty, MO) was a member and got me the 'booking,' for which I was paid $10.00.
When I got there, I learned that I was to sing after we all ate --a big mistake!
The main entree was--what else?--raccoon--which tasted a lot like (I imagine) burnt tires.
I had my choice of singing before or after a 30-minute movie on fishing. I (wisely) chose to be the opening act.
I thought, naïvely, that these 'country' folks would like bluegrass and folk music, so I sang, "Copper Kettle," "Old Blue," and something else like that. ... Total flop!
Too bad I didn't know any Hank Williams at the time!
Ah, show biz!
Jeanene