The most important thing I think in dealing with a client is to be honest and concerned about their needs. Do I fit if it's a party they're having? Don't assume that they know what they want. Sometimes you have to explore that in depth with them. If I don't feel right about it, I suggest someone else that would work. Sometimes I take a chance and try something different that I have a hunch will work. For example,   I had a banjo-playing friend who got a call for mandolin. He plays banjo for the most part but his response was "How soon do you need it?" He learned what he needed to know in the allotted time and had a successful gig. I've had some interesting gigs this way. Flexibility is a state of mind.

The booking can be fun. But it's something that we do because we love what we're doing and I am very grateful to be able to do this for a living. We are supplying a needed service. Schools need acts with educational as well as entertaining value. Clients for the most part really want you to be able to deliver what they want.

I would say that from my experience with agents, that part of the business usually sucks. Down here where I live, the agents will sell a gig for an inflated amount, take a huge percentage and give the artist maybe about one/third of the proceeds. So I am grateful to be able to do my own business and get hired. Nothing about this sucks for me. It's a small price to pay for love.

I try to stay out of the commercial music biz game. The closer you get to pop music and it's ancillary business practices, the crazier it gets. Those who reach for the "brass ring" might want to be careful about what they wish for.