First Paid Gig?

[officermayo]

While a Jr in High School in 1977, I was contracted to be at a studio in Birmingham, AL to record a campaign song for Jimmy Carter. I don't remember what it paid - I was just thrilled to work with professional musicians.

And no, I don't have the record.

[baBposaune]

My first paid gig was circa 1979 when I was a senior in high school. It was in Chinatown in Los Angeles and I think it paid $75. We wore black suits, black long ties, sunglasses and had marching size hymn books on lyres and walked behind the hearse for what are known in LA as "Chinese Funerals." There were some LA studio cats in the band of around 8-10 players including a snare drummer. One of them (who shall remain nameless) gave me grief for practicing my alternate slide positions during my warm-up. "Why practice alternate positions?! You'll never use them!"

[tbdana]

Edited to change my answer because of what Andrew Meronek said. My first paid gig was the United States Army.

[Kingfan]

First paid gig was an Easter service brass quintet. One and done. First steady paid gig was touring with a small potatoes big band out of Springfield, Ohio for $160 a week plus a per diem when we were on the road, which was most of the time. That was enough to live on for a single guy in 1979.

[AndrewMeronek]

I don't specifically remember my first paid gig, but the band it had to have been with was a local big band called "Night Lights Big Band". Got into it because the leader was also going to school where I was at the time, at U of Michigan Flint.

My first (and so far only) "make a living making music" gig was joining the U.S. Army, which I did for 5 (ish) years.

[officermayo]

My first (and so far only) "make a living making music" gig was joining the U.S. Army, which I did for 5 (ish) years.

I gigged here and there through high school then joined the Marine Corps open contract. During my delayed entry (joined while still in HS) my father (Marine Band trombonist) hounded me to try out for the band. Just before shipping out to Bootcamp I did and made it. Played trombone, baritone, keyboards and sang for 12 years as a Jarhead (plus two tours as a Drill Instructor at Parris Island).

Once back in the civilian world I made a living by booking and playing in a:
Brass choir
Dixieland Band
Oldies rock band
Jazz combo
Little Big Band
Big Band

In addition, I was principal trombone in a local chamber orchestra and subbed with symphonies in Charleston, SC and Savannah, GA. Played in back up groups for The Lettermen and the farewell tour of the last of the original Four Freshmen. This was my income for 10 years (total time as full-time pro was 22 years).

Relocated to my present local and worked as a CO in a state maximum security state prison. During those 12 years there was little time for gigs. Medically retired in 2014 and have been back playing regularly ever since. I teach at our Cultural Arts Center and play in my church orchestra, a R&B band, a big band, college wind ensemble and theatre pit orchestra, so I'm playing most every day. Some paid - some free.

[JTeagarden]

Playing a gig at a bar on 6th Street in Austin, TX for a band called Jean's All-Night Truck Stop," she found me practicing in the Music Building.

[musicofnote]

Must have been in my high school days in San Francisco as a trumpet player, playing in the Othmar Stubler Slovenian Trio for a New Years gig at the Slovenian Hall. I'd guess New Year's Eve 1973.

On trombone it must have been 1993, about 1-2 years after having started playing trombone, played bass trombone in the 4-tett I formed with my trombone teacher at the time. We did a series of kiddie concerts in the Basel (Switzerland) area each year for about 9-10 years. Those days I was playing tenor getting ready for my trombone/euphonium teaching degree, but played bass in the 4-tett and mostly other gigs in the area. Got my tenor trombone/euphonium teaching degree in 1996 and for the most part, laid the tenor to rest and only performed on bass. Played in that 4-tett until we broke up in around 2013.

[Finetales]

The first I can remember was in high school. The director of my high school jazz band also made his own solo records as a vibraphonist and he paid a couple of us (my best friend on trumpet, and me on trombone) to record on a tune. I don't remember what the tune was or if it ever came out, but we got paid!

[dbwhitaker]

Summer of 1974 before my senior year of high school I played in the pit for runs of Hello Dolly and and On a Clear Day at the local theatre group. I had to join the union (AFM) in order to play. I haven't had a paid gig since then.

[hyperbolica]

I might have done some earlier individual gigs, but my first repeating paid gig was as a musical elf at Santa's Workshop in North Pole NY, on Whiteface mountain. This was probably 81 or so. We came out and played several shows a day on a stage with some dancing characters like Raggedy Anne and Andy, Chris Moose, Frosty, and of course Rudy. We did parades. Just like Disney except it was super cheesy. We wore pajamas that were supposed to be elf costumes.

santa.jpg

You can see a guy playing trumpet in the background who looks older, but we were definitely a bunch of high school kids. There was someone old enough to be called a "band leader", but he couldn't have been over 25. It was certainly one way to spend the summer.

I stayed in an RV with my grandfather for the summer at the base of the mountain in Wilmington. He worked at the park running a ride.

[walldaja]

I got with three friends and talked the local Salvation Army into paying us to play Christmas music at all the Christmas kettles in downtown Jacksonville, FL. We even got featured on a local TV station. Was neat being paid for something you would do for free.

[BrassSection]

I’m in the category of “Still Waiting”. Wouldn’t mind at least once before I hit 100!

[tbdana]

I’m in the category of “Still Waiting”. Wouldn’t mind at least once before I hit 100!

If you were in California I'd hire you for gigs on March 13, 25, and 31. Can you commute?

[harrisonreed]

My first paid gig was in 2006 at age 19. I played the F. David Concerto with the Holyoke Civic Symphony in Massachusetts. I didn't even know I was going to be paid, I was just happy to have been taken on for a trombone concerto!

At the end, I knew that I wasn't going to be able to make the fast descending run down after the trill with any kind of accuracy, so I instead did a chromatic rip from the Bb4 up to Eb5. I had never done that before in practice. No idea why I did that in performance or thought that would be easier. It came off perfectly and now that's what I do in that piece.

[LeTromboniste]

My first paid gig was for Montreal's Just for Laughs comedy festival. That year they organised a big parade around downtown Montreal that was inspired by the Basel Carnival (where groups called "Cliques" spend all year preparing, making costumes, building individual lanterns and one huge one on a cart, each Clique building their presentation around some theme of humour, satire, political commentary, etc. On the first night of carnival at 3AM they all start parading through the blacked-out city center, each clique featuring a band of piccolos and field drums, but following no set itinerary, and therefore crossing paths with each other while playing different pieces at the same time...the craziness then goes on for three days straight. It's insane, raucous and an absolute joy. https://youtu.be/iK3RD713sWM?si=ykXbkad1J7noPykE)

In this Montreal version, they'd asked each borough of the city (through their respective community centers) to organise a contingent with a social/political theme. The festival hired my trombone quartet to parade with one of the boroughs whose theme was overconsumption. Our costumes were trash. Literally. Garbage bags with pieces of actual trash stapled all over them. Now, weather in Montreal in late July is often 30+°C (85-95°F) with 75%+ humidity.... On the day of the parade we show up to our staging area and find out that the building's maintenance confused a batch of costumes with actual trash, and threw them out, and so there weren't enough for the musicians anymore (thank God!). We were sent to the costume department and were outfitted with leftovers tuxedo jackets from another borough (I figure they'd bought a big batch of former rental tuxes), and T-shirts from the event.

Gig went smoothly, although loudly and tastelessly blasting away the theme of Powerhouse over and over again for over an hour (per the organizer's strict request) gets old really fast, even after adding a lot of our own topical, free improv around it. Our third trombonist was very depressed by the end, saying he didn't understand how those of us playing high parts still had chops, that his face was toast and was struggling to get any notes out in the last 15 minutes or so.... Then he hit his water key, and out came about half a cup of condensation. He'd forgotten to empty his slide for the whole parade

Everyone could keep their costumes, so we got paid $150 plus a tuxedo jacket! Still have the T-shirt, too.

It's kind of a neat coincidence that a several years later I would wind up living in Basel for a few years, which is still my favourite city, where a lot of my professional life is centered.

[BrassSection]

I’m in the category of “Still Waiting”. Wouldn’t mind at least once before I hit 100!

If you were in California I'd hire you for gigs on March 13, 25, and 31. Can you commute?

Barely leave my county, life down on the farm prevents cross country trips, but thanks anyway! Not really complaining, having fun doing what I’m doing…on the farm and with my horns!

[SimmonsTrombone]

My first supposed to be paid gig was in high school in the early 60s. I was called to the old King recording studio in Macon, Georgia to play on a recording of a single. Played take after take and was told I'd be sent a check when things "went through.". Of course, it never arrived.
I learned two things more valuable than money. First, in those days just coming out of segregation, it was the first time I'd ever played with Black people. I learned if you can play, you can play. Second, I learned there are crooks in the music business.

[MrHCinDE]

Fascinating thread, I’ve enjoyed reading all of these.

My first paid gig where money was exchanged directly to me as an individual (excluding other groups which were paid to the group kitty and spent on regular blowouts) was with a brass band competing at the British Open, aged about 20. It was awesome fun, challenging music and a massive step up from other groups I’d played in. I think I got about £500 for the contest and a couple of rehearsals, plus a bit for travel and the pleasure of staying with the late, great Simon Kerwin and family in their Scottish castle.

I knew at the first rehearsal it was a step up when we started playing a hymn tune in the warm-up. We went through as normal, then the conductor said now again with transposition to a different key or two. That got my brain switched on pretty quickly.

I didn’t realise until afterwards that I’d accidentally stolen the gig from my teacher, I was very naive and thought I was the only one being asked about it. You live and learn.

[bitbckt]

I was about 17 when I both started playing function gigs and joined a ska band that both paid. I don’t recall which was the first to hand me a check, and that’s been bothering me since this thread started.

[Geordie]

Playing Euphonium for colliery brass bands, usually in contests, in the North East of England. Great days out.

[MrHCinDE]

Playing Euphonium for colliery brass bands, usually in contests, in the North East of England. Great days out.

What’s your favourite out of Brass in Concert, the Regionals, the Durham League, Easingwold or any other? I’d have to go with the regionals, back when I was there it was in the luxury of a leisure centre in Darlington. Not a contest but always enjoyed the Durham big meeting as well.

[Geordie]

Playing Euphonium for colliery brass bands, usually in contests, in the North East of England. Great days out.

What’s your favourite out of Brass in Concert, the Regionals, the Durham League, Easingwold or any other? I’d have to go with the regionals, back when I was there it was in the luxury of a leisure centre in Darlington. Not a contest but always enjoyed the Durham big meeting as well.

My favourite for years was the Durham big meeting. Just so social. The miners’ picnic in Bedlington was similar, a great outing and contest. I do v little brass band stuff these days, but since moving to NW England love doing the historic Whit Friday marches as a dep. A unique historic event with brass bands from all over the world too. I’ve done the NW areas in Blackpool several times, glad I did it, but the miners’ gigs were more social and fun.

[gbedinger]

Although I had a couple of brass 5tet Easter gigs prior, my first real gigs were at the Vapors nite-club club in Hot Spring, Arkansas. I was a junior BME major at Henderson State and played in the pit orchestra for Phyllis Diller, Tony Martin and Cyd Charisse, and Bobby Goldsboro. Guy Lombardo was performing in town and was in the audience one night. It was 1975 and I recall making $30 per show…that was big money at the time.

[Vegasbound]

Back in the late 70’s aged 14, 2nd bone chair amdram show, got paid £15 for 4 shows a fortune to me then when my pocket money was £2 a week!

[ATXBassBone]

Playing a gig at a bar on 6th Street in Austin, TX for a band called Jean's All-Night Truck Stop," she found me practicing in the Music Building.

Doesnt seem like a ton has changed down here.

HOOK EM!!!

[JTeagarden]

Playing a gig at a bar on 6th Street in Austin, TX for a band called Jean's All-Night Truck Stop," she found me practicing in the Music Building.

Doesnt seem like a ton has changed down here.

HOOK EM!!!

In my day, Donald Knaub was the trombone professor, great guy, and Freeddie Mendoza was just starting to get good at trombone after being a great euphonium player, and Paul McKee was a a grad student

[TromboneSam]

First paid gig was an Army National Guard band. Joined 5 days after I turned 17 and did 10 years. First paid non-army gig was subbing with a funk band when I was 19. We played New Year’s Eve outside in Lancaster, PA and I couldn’t feel my toes by the end. Then had to drive 2 hours home to Philly. That sucked, but I made $120 bucks!

[heldenbone]

The first gig I got fired on was 4th grade, when I got kicked out of flutofone class.

[BGuttman]

Ah... Flutophone. A recorder with no sense of decency

[BrassSection]

Wait, I may have misspoken…does getting a sandwich and a soda count as being paid? We all got fed for the Christmas community band concert.