No Arranger stuff just felt like sharing a good experience.
Sat. I played a house BD party in a very upscale community on Hilton Head Island SC. The lady throwing the party for her husband just wanted someone to play their piano ( a 6' Weber Baby Grand which was actually in pretty good tune, but I did pack my Casio just in case. ) so everyone could sing HB. I told her a $100 an hour
( Thanks Gary ) and we'll see how the party goes. I half expected to be out of there in 1 hour. Everyone loved the Piano and she kept me for 4 hours, made sure I had a nice dinner and the husband told me to help myself to his big bottle of Makers Mark. ( I only had one drink )
Point is all I did was play the piano, and sing a bit with a mic thru my CM30.
I could play anything and they loved it, no dance music, backing tracks, or styles to think about.
They also had a magician. He was really good and I added some musical accents to his show. The time flew and I realized how much I missed doing these type of events. People really appreciated my playing and not the arranger beat of their favorite dance number or sing along. I have to do that type of thing tomorrow with my BK9 in the gigantic senior community here, Sun City.
I'm glad to have any gig but hopefully the one Sat. will lead to more of the same. Just getting to really play was refreshing.

WTG.... I love house parties gigs... I have played many too.

Good luck

Hope to get more. The hostess and her husband own a Consulting Co. She said she would spread the word so maybe a good contact.

Good for you, Bill ... sounds like things are moving along for you down South ...

Another neat market is board meetings. I play lots of 1 hour pre-dinner gigs for banks, Credit Unions and other industrial/commercial organizations. None of these are arranger gigs.

Quiet jazz guitar, with no vocals works great, and is really
fun!


R.

Around here, it's horse farms....lots of horse farms and associated
thoroughbred businesses. 1/2 my live jobs are in this field. Sometimes, I play instrumental guitar in one room, and piano in another. I go from a single to 7 pieces, sometimes.

One farm owner takes me overseas 4 weeks a year.

None of these jobs involve an arranger.

R.

Well I don't play anything well enough EXCEPT arranger.

Bill, I was confident that you could make things work for you in SC. With luck, I'll be there is mid October with the boat and my music gear, performing at the marina restaurants and Tiki Bars. Hilton Head is a neat place, and there are lots of opportunities for OMB entertainers there.

Good Luck,

Gary

ditto!! why eat one slice of cake when you can have the whole thing!

take pictures & videos ...just sayin'..

You have my complete envy, Bill:

It's wonderful when a plan comes together and all the pieces fit. So glad to read about your accomplishment (and backup plan) and I'm sure your hosts will spread the word. Nice touch, embellishing the magic show with a little background music here and there.

Proud of you. Thanks for sharing.

Dave Rice (ASCAP)

Thanks guys. I'm still thinking about how it all works sometimes and is so satisfying.
Captain- I envy you and the position your in with those Corporate gigs and the Horse Crowd. They appreciate quality.
I went to College in Ky for two years but it was the wrong end .Coal mines instead of horse farms. Had a band and we did quite well though.
Gary. When the lady asked what I would charge for 1 hour to just get through to the HB part I don't know why but I remember you telling about your gigs and how you tell them $100 an hour for however long you want so thats what I did. I had a feeling it would go longer and it did.
Let me know your schedule when down here and we'll get out to see you. If you need a bigger PA or whatever let me know, I've got it all.

Bill, I take the same rig I had set up at the house, the Bose L1 Compact, PSR-S950, etc... Never had a job cruising along the ICW that it couldn't handle, but thanks for your generous offer. I'll contact you when I get to Hilton Head.

All the best,

Gary