In Blog

I get contacted by musicians on a regular basis. Their questions are always the same: How did you do it? With so much competition in the cover band market, how were you able to break through and continue to raise the standard?

I’m proud of the work of all of our National Party Bands® and the reputation we have as being the best in the business. When Ed Duncan and I created Party On The Moon®, we had our share of skeptics. There were many in the business that told us the market wouldn’t support a large special events band and it was a bad idea.

But, our goal was simple – to create the best cover band experience for our clients in the country. We achieved that goal by having national caliber talent, unsurpassed customer service and innovative ideas. We created the non-stop show concept, which today is the norm for special events. When bandleaders come to me for advice, I give them the nuggets of how I structured the band.

And here they are. Drum roll please.

1. You’ve got to have a team. Talent alone will not take you across the finish line. My team consists of management, sales, marketing, transportation, costumes designers, sound and lighting, choreography, accountants and some of the best musicians on the planet. If you think you can succeed by doing it all yourself, you’re dreaming. As Ed says, “Find something you love to do, surround yourself with others who want to do the same thing, and stay the course.”

2. Quality. Every week, each of our National Party Bands® rehearse. The goal is to improve the show and make sure the next show is better than the last. Learning new material keeps the show fresh and the band focused. I recently had a bandleader fly to Houston to see Party On The Moon®. Over dinner, we talked about his band. He had some success with his band and wanted my advice on how to take his band to the next level. I was surprised when he told me that his band does not have rehearsals. “We work out any new songs at sound check,” he said. Really? Unfortunately, many bands follow this model. They have good musicians, but good (or even great) musicians don’t necessarily mean you’ll have a great band. A great band comes from hundreds of hours of rehearsals and shows. If you’re not improving your product each week, you can’t compete. If you want to be the best, you have to work at it constantly.

3. Commit to do whatever it takes. Yes, you need a good website, video and a great song list. You also need to look and sound great at every show. The last seven shows Party On The Moon® has performed were for repeat clients from last year. One client has had us eight years in a row. It’s not about the call. It’s about the call back. If you’re not getting the call back from clients and agents, you have work to do.

4. Stop complaining. I recently met a bandleader at one of our shows. “My band is just like yours”, he said. We have all the singers, and the horn players, and do the same music. We have copied everything you do. If we played as much as you, we would be full time and we would have a fancy tour bus, too.” I responded, “The reason the band is full time is because we have spent years getting good enough that clients have to have us year after year. We didn’t go full time and get good. We got good and went full time.” When I started the band, we traveled by vans for the first several years. I operated the sound for the band, as well as played guitar. I could not afford a sound guy.

My goal is the same today as it was when I started the band. To be the best. I have found if I stay focused on the work at hand, good things happen.

I have a book coming out this spring called “Rock “N” Roll, Marshal Arts and God; Tips on Success from the Masters”. It goes into depth about how I created my company, and provides tips on how you can create what matters to you.

I believe the best way to succeed is to help others succeed. That’s why I write these blogs, and why I wrote the book. There is no secret about my success that I’m not willing to share.

That’s the secret.

Dennis

GPB SliderGPB Slider