Planning Music for Weddings and Parties: "Keep On Keeping On"

Thanks in advance for reading this article. I appreciate your interest and hope you get a few good ideas. I'd love to hear what you liked. Please write me a little COMMENT below. Start a conversation. Tell me what you think, and I'll reply. Promise.
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Planning music for weddings and parties takes Persistence.

And a talent for anticipating what music to select — and how to present it — to help your guests feel glad to be there.

Actually, the advice of an experienced professional is a great help here, whenever you’re planning music for weddings and parties.  But you should already know this by now.

And more talents:  creativity, patience, empathy, imagination, to name a few.

Lots of  talents we can easily take for granted if we know we have them.

But I highlight Persistence, because I think it’s more a habit we develop, rather than a talent we’re blessed with.

If you’ve ever done it, you know that planning music for weddings and parties can be challenging.  Questions and obstacles easily appear all along the way.  But take heart — Persistence is the secret for making these setbacks temporary.

Let me tell you more.  But first, a story.

Here we are at the Coyote Creek Golf Course, entertaining at the Citti Family Annual Golf Invitational’s cocktail party.  One of those nice hot days when we get to play in shirtsleeves.  It was a grand afternoon, and toward the end my friend, DJ and photographer, Jordan Sofris (Jordan River Productions) caught me off guard.  You rascal, Jordan!

Someone or something ever catch you off guard?  Of course!  No matter how much we prepare, it happens to all of us all the time.  Whether you receive a nice surprise or something else, the crucial point in the long run is not what happens, but how you respond.

Dozens of cliches come to mind, like “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade, “Every cloud has a silver lining”, and “Play the cards you’re dealt” .  They all mean about the same.  What’s your favorite expression?

I find a few of these hopeful expressions particularly memorable.  For example, in 1941, after the Blitz, Winston Churchill made a speech to rally the nation, and he included the words, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never — in nothing, great or small, large or petty — never give in, except to convictions of honour and good sense.“

Master salesman Tom Hopkins taught me another.  “The number of times I succeed is in direct proportion to the number of times I can fail and keep trying.”

This is the theme of one of my favorite songs, “Pick Yourself Up”.

Nothing’s impossible, I have found.
For when my chin is on the ground,
I pick myself up, dust myself off,
Start all over again.

Don’t lose your confidence if you slip.
Be grateful for a pleasant trip,
And pick yourself up; dust yourself off;
Start all over again.

Work like a soul inspired
‘Til the battle of the day is won.
You may be sick and tired,
But you’ll be a man, my son.

Will you remember the famous men
Who had to fall to rise again.
So take a deep breath;
Pick yourself up;
Dust yourself off;
Start all over again.

For people who pay attention to these things, this was sung (and danced to) by Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire in the 1936 movie “Swing Time.”  Music by Jerome Kern (“Showboat”) and lyrics by Dorothy Fields (“On the Sunny Side of the Street”).

Here’s where I’m going with this.  When times are tough, people need to remember that Persistence usually pays off.  Sounds right to me, and throughout recorded history, this notion has been expressed many times, in many ways.

Why?  Is it so hard to grasp, we couldn’t get it the first time?  Apparently.

Part of my Theory of Life resembles a butterfly’s, who is born as a worm, eats constantly to grow and store energy, and then emerges from a cocoon transformed into a beautiful butterfly.  Similarly (with some significant differences), we’re born helpless, work tirelessly for decades storing wisdom and wealth (as though it’s our life’s purpose), and then “retire” (or are we “reborn”) to fulfill our destiny.

Hmmm … maybe this vision appeals to me because I’ll approach that ultimate stage one day, and it sounds attractive.  Nevertheless to reach our goal, any goal, the enduring message has to be “Keep on keeping on”.

Throughout life, we continually learn from people who’ve “been there, done that”.  I always listen for the voice of experience, and I always expect to learn something new.

That’s why I love working with veteran musicians and event professionals.  They’re always teaching me the value of Persistence.

And now I pass it along to you.  Be Persistent whenever you’re planning music for weddings and parties.

 

Thanks for reading this article. I appreciate your interest and hope you get a few good ideas here. Got one or two? I'd love to hear what you liked. Please write me a little COMMENT below. Start a conversation -- I'll reply. Promise.

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Meanwhile, the Magnolia Jazz Band entertains at weddings and parties throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. If you are ever nearby, you’ll love catching us in action, seeing and hearing us create a great mood.

How can I help you? Call 408-245-9120 or use Robbie@MagnoliaJazz.com. Planning a celebration? Ask about our availability.

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