Russ.....you got that one right! It's a sign of the times. I've been doing this business for 40+ years and I've never seen anything like the way it is now. People will book, lock you into their back pocket, and then spend the next day making phone calls to find the cheapest musician. Meantime, I entered it in the schedule, made out a worksheet, typed up a contract and mailed it out with a SAE. They don't even bother to call back to say they "found someone else."

This Saturday I'm doing an Oktoberfest. The manager of the CC was dragging his heels with the contract (they figure if they find you to be not that good, they'll hold back some monies). I called him today and told him clearly: "no contract...no music!" I got the contract FAX'd to my within the hour.

No, I never had this problem before. But it's growing into epidemic proportions around here. Remember I'm on the East Coast. I'm not sure what it's like in other parts of the country.

If this is any help to the rest of you, I've taken to telling people on the phone when they book that I'm going to take the initial oral booking over the phone, and advise them I'm recording it. That alone would hold up in court!

I remember the days when business ran by itself and the only thing you had to do was enjoy making music!