Any advice for a guitarist beginning to look for an agent to get serious about career

[andychims]

Hi Everyone,

I've been realizing more and more that i really want to play professionally, and i feel that i'm very capable in a number of different styles. How should I go about getting into this kind of career. The kinds of options i hear are as a studio guitarist or as someone who fills in temporarily in bands. I hear that I should get an agent, how should I look for one. Is there a listing somewhere, and how should I go about hooking up with one (send a tape?). Can you reccomend any agents in the philly area?

[Terry Allan Hall]

 

Originally posted by andychims Hi Everyone, I've been realizing more and more that i really want to play professionally, and i feel that i'm very capable in a number of different styles. How should I go about getting into this kind of career. The kinds of options i hear are as a studio guitarist or as someone who fills in temporarily in bands. I hear that I should get an agent, how should I look for one. Is there a listing somewhere, and how should I go about hooking up with one (send a tape?). Can you reccomend any agents in the philly area?

 

 

A bit of advice:

 

(A) Read every book you can on self-management.

 

(B) Do it yourself...if you do it, it'll probably get done!

 

Managers (and for that matter, booking agencies) are most interested in making money, and someone just starting out (like yourself) will not get much interest out of either life-form, as you're not a proven $$$-maker.

 

I highly recomment "How To be Your Own Booking Agent" by Jeri Goldstein....the best book I've ever read on the subject (the info I've gotten from this book probably added about $10K to my earnings for the last 2 years!)