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Thought I would pass this along
to see if it gets any nibbles from the readers.
I talked to David Summerlin who was at the recent Toys For Kids Benefit at Alleigh's along with a great number of talented locals for a truly good cause. The bands and musicians donated their time but did not receive any drink or food discounts from the management. I can't help in noticing the Dickensian irony if this is true. If it isn't true, maybe someone from Alleigh's can correct me with my apologies, but if it is true, I feel like they should offer some kind of explanation of this slighting of great quality FREE talent. They don't have to give their products away but selling at their cost would have been a good holiday good will gesture to the talent who helped make the evening a success.
Walt Bowden
Below is a response that reached us 2/7/01
Dear Word On The Street,
Having just read Walt Bowden's recent letter regarding the Toys For Kids Benefit at Alleigh's, I can sympathize with the sentiments he expressed.
Far too often, musicians and entertainers are asked to provide their talents and services for free at benefits held at local bars and restaurants and more often than not wind up at the end of the evening with nothing but a huge bar tab and a pat on the shoulder for their trouble, while the bar owner and event organizers walk away with all the credit and all the evening's proceeds.
As Walt stated in his letter, no one is asking that musicians be given free food and drink(Although I submit that a truly civilized culture would see merit in this notion), but at the very least, performers donating their talents should be offered a reasonable discount to help offset their costs of performing. Whatever happened to Southern Hospitality?
As response to this in an effort to think globally and act locally, and with the belief that true charity begins at home, I would like to propose the formation of the first annual BOOZE FOR BLUES BENEFIT CONCERT to thank, aid and honor all local blues musicians whose talents bring so much joy to our lives and help define the culture of our community.
The premise for the BOOZE FOR BLUES BENEFIT is simple. Instead of a cover charge, all patrons are asked to bring one bottle of decent liquor or one six-pack of domestic beer for individual admission.
According to the ethno-metric conversion scale 3 bottles of 40 oz. malt would also equal one individual admission. Gallon jugs of quality distilled spirits or a case of premium imported beer will allow admission of 4 people.
One case of this beer will be put on ice in a cooler onstage as refreshment for performers playing at the benefit. At the end of the night, all liquor and beer collected at the door will be divided equally among all of the musicians that performed that night.
It is my belief that such a benefit concert would not only directly help those most deserving, but also encourage the best players to show up thus providing a great show that would encourage a better turnout for the event.
In addition, I would suggest that upon entering the bar that night, all patrons and performers be given one paper ballot and asked to write in the name of either their favorite or most deserving local Blues musician. Usually at this time of year, there are always a few local musicians too ill, injured, incarcerated, old or poor to attend the benefit themselves.
This is a time to reach out and remember them. The ballots will be put in a box on the stage and counted at the end of the night. The musician that receives the most votes will receive a bottle of liquor and a six-pack of beer from that donated at the door before it is divided up among that night's performers. I cannot think of a better more charitable way for musicians to help other musicians and themselves. Plus holding this on the first Saturday of December would ensure that all those participating would be stocked for the holiday freeing up their dollars for such other necessities of life as food, rent, child support and medication.
And who among us does not know of at least one musician in serious need of medication?
Any bar of restaurant that would like to sponsor the first BOOZE FOR BLUES BENEFIT CONCERT to be held the first Saturday of December 2001, and any musicians wishing to perform should contact me via this website. Thank you.
R. Thomas Smith
Below is a response that reached us 3/20/01
The Toys for Tots concert was a very good cause which I was proud to be a part of. Granted the club made a lot of money off the musicians and their families ... and should have given some kind of break { food or Something??} but we live and learn. At least alot of children had a better Christmas...which is wonderful..As far as the six-pack at the door ... that needs to be in another article ... Thank you very much
David Summerlin
and a 3/26 response to that one ...
Hmm??? Mr. Summerlin admits:
>Granted the club made a lot of money off
the musicians and their families
>..and should have given some kind of break
{ food or Something??}
>but we live and learn.
My god, the man is fessing up!
Right here in the digital pages of Word
On The Street!!!
For every Wilmington musicians and BSOTLCF
member that ever cowtowed to Little Napolean club owners and other Little
Pond Big Mouth B-Asses, let this be a lesson. Stand up on your hind
legs and let the mighty sword of truth set you free!
Talk is cheap and we'll be watching future shows to see how much Mr. Summerlin has learned, but I applaud his courage in facing his shortcomings and hope his apology here is sincere and not just spin control with regard to his business. I think his effort in writing at all and addressing the issue sets a good example to both musicians and club owners alike and sheds light on his intentions.
R. Thomas Smith
The following came in 4/14/01 --
Hello everybody,
One good measure of a discussion is that it generates further discussion along the same lines or subject, and encourages further debate so that, hopefully, all with open minds might benefit from the different points of view contributed by those with balls, or estrogen enough to comment one way or the other. Good ideas are always appreciated and bad ideas are generally exposed and abandoned in the cold light of practical reality and common sense.
Having said that, I am happy to see the valued comments from a couple of musicians and other artists who share their opinions of the current state of affairs concerning volunteer efforts "for worthy causes" by us. I have always felt that entertainers who gladly donate valuable time and effort for worthy causes in our own "backyard" might expect to receive some "quid pro quo" consideration for their altruistic efforts.
This area has seen its share of carpetbaggers who swoop down and exploit local artists and agencies for their own profit. Is it any wonder that "once bitten" musicians can develop a jaundiced view of the latest "worthy cause"? I will not apologize for asking nicely for some consideration in return for value given by the unselfish entertainers who help make many fund raising events successful. As I said before, (previous letter) simple reduction of prices for meals or drinks can go a long way towards making that valued contributor feel appreciated, and not used.
As David Summerlin testified so clearly, the clubs that host these benefits make money off the musicians and their families and we should "live and learn(musicians, I assume)." But like my daddy used to say in his long Arkansas drawl, "The first time the mule kicks you, it's his fault. The second time the mule kicks you, its your fault." I think that there are a lot of local entertainers with mule kicks on their backsides. And its their fault! Always hoping to hear another view, I am,
Walt Bowden