It's reassuring (I guess) to know 'it's not about me'.  On the other
hand, it's sad to know it's not just retirement home administrators
and activity directors who pull stunts like booking you for St, Patrick's
Day (or some other prime time spot) a year ahead of time and then cancelling
a few days before the gig.  (Actually, I already had experience with
at least one pub owner who was notorious for double and triple booking,
etc.)

The thing that frustrates me the most is having a very successful gig
at some place -- audience shows all signs of loving what you did and a
lot of them come up afterwards and tell you they want you to come back
-- and then when you contact the place about a return booking, they keep
putting you off.  (As you said, Jed, "even when you get through
and they like what they hear, they still won't call you back.")

Bev and Jerry,

Thanks for stating formally what I ought to have already learned by
now:

Rule 1.  When you contact someone, always be sure the next
required action is yours, not theirs.  If you call and don't reach
someone, call back.  If you leave a message, don't ask them to call
you, say you'll call them.  In a letter, don't write "call me if you're
interested", write "I'll call you in a week".

 

The persistence rule is important.  Often, I've not sent
promo material to a particular contact, because I had sent one recently
and assumed they had received it.  Sometimes I find, after it's too
late, that they did not receive it.  (Phone messages may be edited
to a simple "call so-and-so" or not delivered at all.  Faxes may not
go through legibly or may not end up in the right mailbox.  Letters
may also be mis-routed.)   I do think it's important to make
the materials available.  To avoid 'bombarding' folks with unwanted
announcements and inquiries, I try to ask them if they want to be on
my mailing/faxing list and receive info about special music programs
and available dates.  The ones who really are considering booking
me but just need to coordinate their schedule with mine usually welcome
my keeping them abreast of that info.  For the ones who are really
not interested, I don't want to waste my time or theirs with info and inquiries.

But, denise,  your partner is wrong.  You can make more than
"tens of dollars" in folk music.  I actually make hundreds! 
*BG*

As long as I don't need to earn really big bucks, I'm happy to be "singing
for my supper."  But the non-music folks who are envious (and a bit
scornful) because I may get paid "$30 to $50 an hour" seldom realize what
that hour of music performance really amounts to (phone and computer
time, rehearsal time, travel time and expense, etc.)

Genie