Fast forward to 2009- NEW GIG

Has it really been since Sept 2009 since I've blogged? Oh my. Well, my life is still as nutty as ever. Since then Alec has turned 5, Chloe has turned 8, both Dean and I have added a year and we've celebrated the holidays and begun a new year. We recouped from Hurrican Ike last fall-- our fence is still falling over and we just discovered wind damage to our roof. State Farm will hopefully hook us up!

The CASA Christmas Home Tour was another success in Dec... it's the charity tour that I book and secure entertainment for that benefits Child Advocates of Fort Bend. The homes are exquisite (1-2 mi$) and it wipes me out for the month of December.

The family is great. The little one is quite the actress (2.5 yrs) and the others just joined cheerleading team and swim team respectively. They are both in the middle of softball and teeball, and I'm pulling my hair out over schedules and carpool. But if I wasn't multitasking, I wouldn't know myself.

The NEW GIG is this... I'm a BOOKING AGENT. No, I don't write books, sell books, or a bookie. I act as an 'agent' on behalf of talented musicians/artists. I represent, coordinate, market their musical talents in hopes of securing venues and festivals for them to perform. Pretty standard for the music business. Every great band has an agent, and I represent some pretty great bands. In this booking agent relationship I work directly with the management company of the following artists: Sheila Marshall, Drew Kennedy, and our little Christian artist- 14 years old and blind, Brooke Pernice. Sheila and Drew represent country music... Sheila is more country/rock-n-roll, and Drew is portrays Americana country at its finest. Brooke is Christian/country/inspirational.

www.sheilamarshallmusic.com or myspace.com/sheilamarshall

www.drewkennedymusic.com or myspace.com/drewkennedy

www.brookepernice.com

For my friends that don't understand why I or how I find myself as a booking agent in the music industry, then let me explain quickly... I worked for nearly 9 years in the music business for the largest concert promotion company, Clear Channel Entertainment/Live Nation. I know the nuts and bolts of the business, producing financial statements for nearly 300+ shows per year ranging from Stadium,Arena, Theater, Club tours. And after 10 years of buying talent for the neighborhood amphitheater, I have developed a passion for live music. As the opportunity came my way, I decided to dabble a bit on the artist management side. Booking is sales work. It's networking, and putting your artist out there as much as you personally can in hopes of getting them a great show and taking a % of their talent fee as your own service fee. Yes, another blackberry to keep up with and a list of calls each day as my artists aren't at the level where I can sit and wait by the phone. Get it? I can't tell you how many people are puzzled over my new gig.

So, if you have a friend that's a venue owner, run a festival, gala event chair, or need LIVE music, please give me a ring, I have just the band for you!

Cheers to all my Blogger friends. You can find me on facebook, and perhaps I'll twitter some too. There's always room on my plate to try something new.

Just a few moments to blog. Now, it's time to read a few before a hot bath and bed.

CB