Working a Thin Crowd/Was Charlie Musselwhite Review

["" <party_man1@xxxxxxxxxx>]

I was reading about playing to an empty room as I and many here in this forum know about this happening to yourself on stage . I want to relate a story of Ruth Browm .

One night after working several different venues at a Jazz festival here in Palm Springs California I put my harmonicas away and got ready to go and see Ruth Brown . My wife and myself were eagarly antisipating the show of the night . The room was set and there we were , my wife , myself and the son of a friend , just us three and an empty room that seated 500 people all gussied up waiting to have a ball . The band struck up the show at the apointed hour and rolled out some swank stuff .  And then  Ruth entered and took off , she looked as radiant as could be and put on a show that was just terrific . 

After the show I went to meet her back stage ( working the show made it easy to get back there to her ) and told her just how much we loved her performance as the festivals co ordinator entered . She listened to the apology that he made and said  the festival guide listed her show for the following day as well as the local newspapers ! Un phased she smiled and said she was not booked for tomorrow night and would agree to do a second show to please the public and so on and so forth as long as they ( the festival )  picked up the rooms and food tab . The was a quick as can be hand shake and there I was along with her , one of my  music idols -- I tried not to look like a idiot . She asked if there was a  place where she and her son could eat . I was only happy to show her around till we found a place due to the very late hour it was and the hotel of this particular venue had no kitchen that stayed open late ( not like they do now since the Indian Casinos are giving the local h!
otels a run for the money :)


We ate and had the greatest time talking like old friends , she looked at me as I mentioned that even with an empty room she was on fire with her performance , she looked at me and said as I asked how she did it   ? She said " its not the first time something dumb as this throws off a performance date that way for me " Then added  after I said how she  had handled it the first time , she commented this " I was told by Bessie Smith that it can happen any time for any number of reasons , but , always remember this , even if its just one person , focus on that person and give them your every thing and play to please them  " . 
Well its hapened to me and I did as she commented and it sure works .

HR

Aka : 

Party_Man1@xxxxxxxxxx     


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