Richard R "Dick" Hall's Page

As rather new member of True West, I want to welcome you also to True West.

Johnny

Hi there from Thermopolis! The sign has been upgraded, but basically says the same thing. I was sorry when Powder River stopped being the bus company here. I thought they did a good job and truthly the service hasn't been as good since. You mentioned something on the Cowboy Poetry site about starting out and such. And you are right! It takes several things to get started, but in my estimation, one of the most important things is a good head for recording events and activities. And that 'recording' shows up, then, in what might be called a media package. And in the package, which can be sent to prospective gigs would include that CD you mentioned, a VERY, VERY good picture of you doing what you do plus a list of all the places that you've performed.

A hint: always get as quote from the management of the last place you performed. And include those quotes, together with a picture of whoever said it, in the media kit. Your point about having to memorize everything is true to a point, but not universally true all the time. I do poetry and I'm so old now that I can't even remember my own stuff--let alone the material from other poets. So I use humor to diffuse the fact that I carry my book with me and after I've recited the first stanza or paragraph, I'll turn to my book. But ya gotta explain it and if you can do it with a bit of humor, you can get away with not having to memorize EVERY jot and tittle of the work you are doing. But, in my estimation, it HAS to be acknowledged--most Cowboy Poet Gathering attendees understand how difficult it is to memorize an hours worth of material and they WILL cut you as much slack as you need, if first you level with them about having to use a promp. And if you can do that with a bit of humor, it seems to me that it works well. In fact there is a poem called "Recalling the Rhyme" by Jay Jones (2000) that I use to lighten up the set and let them know that I can't remember all of the words all of the time. The poem talks to that fact and in the final part tells about the author being on stage, forgetting his lines, and in desperation, pointing his finger toward heaven, squaring his shoulders and saying, "Etcetera, etcetera, etcetera while strolling prooudly from the stage." I've gotten away for as long time by including that in my routine and letting the audience in on my spotty record at memorization. So that would be my only comment on your spot on take on how it all goes along. But I would recommend the media kit as a point that divides the wannabes from the doers. That's my take, and others may have their own ideas, but it seems to work for me. Keep in touch there Love! Dick

Sorry my comment was broken up. It was too long to be just in one message and I had to break it into two parts. The bottom part goes first. Dick