Cathy Richardson (of Jefferson Starship) – TOUR TIPS

Singer/songwriter, Cathy Richardson of Jefferson Starship, has written a set of awesome Tour Tips for you guys to learn from. You can check them out after the break.

1.  It’s easy to go broke on the road rather quickly if you don’t have tour support or a huge fan base already. Try going out on some solo or duo acoustic dates to get your name out there and sell some music before you load up the van with 5 guys and a roadie.
2. Don’t try to attack the whole country at once. Start in your hometown and branch out from there. A great hometown story will help you get attention from talent buyers out of town.
3. When you are ready to try another market, book a well paid anchor date like a college or festival and surround it with club dates within a 150 mile radius.
4. Work on your out of town buzz first. Get your radio, press, street buzz happening so people know who you are when you get there. Conversely, when you have buzz going in a different market, take advantage of it and go play there right away. If you have a radio station playing your song, book an on air unplugged session with the local radio station. Follow up with a gig in a timely fashion or your buzz can quickly dissipate.

5. Open for another band or join forces with a band that is happening in the market you want to play. Even if you are making low dough at first, it’s better to play for a packed house than for the bartender.

Make sure to check out Cathy Richardson on Facebook, Twitter, and Myspace.