From Funk to Country

Looking back on the past month, I realized that we went from playing for a funk/r&b/old-school/blues crowd to a country/southern rock/rock 'n' roll crowd in two weeks - and we survived. Talk about your hardcore transition of thought processes, especially where we had to do a lot of research and collecting in the funk and country genres. I mean, these are two opposite ends of the spectrum. I learned a lot and have gained more of an appreciation for these genres. And from Earth, Wind, & Fire to Alan Jackson, I had a ton of fun!

An Interesting Question

As the owner of a newer business, I've been preparing myself for all sorts of questions. My counterpart, Jon, and I have had numerous discussions about our philosophies as DJs, among other things. Recently, I got a question that I wasn't expecting, but that I was prepared for by knowing a bit about our competition.

In preparation for a meeting, I was asked by a client whether I would be the DJ at their event or if it was going to be another DJ from within the company. A fair question indeed, considering that there are so many disc jockey services out there who run more than one rig (rig=setup).

To answer the question, I explained that we're a very small company, with only two DJs, and that we BOTH attend each event. As we add on equipment, we might have a roadie or apprentice (woohoo!) accompany us, but we will always be there. Thinking about it more, I mean, why would I want to miss out on any of the fun?

Low Cost Doesn't Always Mean Low Quality

...Especially not in the case of my company. There are those who venture to say that a DJ who charges a low fee for an event is inexperienced and NOT considered a professional DJ.

I find myself looking at the rate I charge for events and wonder: Would it appease people if I raised my prices? Currently, I charge enough for the overhead costs on travel, music updating, and maintenance & upgrades for my equipment. So far, I've been hired because we're a great deal, essentially the lowest bidder. I've read a lot of articles by DJs who are (of course) advertising themselves, stating that one should shoot for a DJ who bids in the middle (which of course, they are just that DJ). Supposedly, low bidders are inexperienced, desperate DJs and high bidders may not just be that much worth it.


I love what I do. I'm not making a living off it, but it is an extra job that I truly enjoy. I love making people happy, giving them a good time, even if it's just for one night. I love to attract much-needed attention for charities and businesses, boosting their development. Most of all, music and technology research is my niche. It's fun to expand my appreciation for more genres of music and to learn about their histories. The tech part is fun, too, mostly because I love shopping.

Let's see...big spending, loads of fun, good tunes, happy people.... Yup! I'm there.