Re: Re: Re: Easter Gig


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Posted by Steve Dedman on April 06, 2001 at 20:19:22:

In Reply to: Re: Re: Easter Gig posted by Rick Denney on April 06, 2001 at 12:02:42:

I was alway raised that "the Lord moves in mysterious ways". As it happens, the $175 I'm getting paid for my Easter gig is going to pay part of my taxes the next day. I'm viewing it as a problem seen, a solution mercifully given, and gratefully accepted.

Political stuff: When I was in the OU band, we were asked to play for then-President Ronald Reagan, who was appearing at the university's sports arena. The President of the United States needs a band to play Hail to the Chief, and who better than the local university marching band. What's the band director going to say, no? Of course we played; we had our equipment there 24 hours ahead of time to be examined, spindled, and x-rayed by the US Secret Service, and sniffed by several different canine breeds to be sure that I wasn't carrying a plastique sousaphone. We sat in the stands (which were out of view, behind the stage) and chatted with each other while things political were discussed. As it turned out, it was a rally for the incumbent Republican Senator from Oklahoma. Imagine our chagrin when the state Democratic party demanded an accounting of us. We wound up having to send a pep band to a city 150 miles away to play at a rally for the Democratic candidate. It's a catch-22 that musicians have occaisionally and will occaisionally find themselves in: I don't agree with the circumstances of a gig, but I prefer to have dinner (or in this case, continued state appropriations).

As to why churches pay pros: Easter and Christmas are often the only two services that many people attend each year. It stands to reason that perhaps the goal is to entice their return on a more regular basis by presenting a "joyful noise" rather than a sacred cacophony.

Steve "the Lord giveth, and the taxman taketh away" Dedman


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