Hiring Musicians

Live music brings energy and excitement to any party, reception or special event. By hiring musicians, you are giving yourself and your guests the gift of a private concert. With classical music, you can create an environment of warmth and elegance. For a birthday or other lively celebration, you can hire a band for dancing. If you own a business, you can hire a small group to play for your office party or sale event to entertain your customers.

While making arrangements and planning -- the banquet room and the catering, give our office a call and we'll be happy to help you find the right musical spice for your next event.

Look at some of the music available to you: Rock, Jazz, Solo Piano, Guitar and Flute, Reggae, Latin Salsa, Harp, Swing, New Age, Mariachi, Organists, Country, Top 40, Big Band Jazz, String Quartets, Funk, Dulcimer, Folk, Blues, Classical Guitar, Celtic Harp, Ethnic, and much more!

Our office will gladly help you plan for your special occasion. Many of our artists have tapes, CDs, and promo packs to make it easier for you to determine exactly what kind of music you want. In addition, some of our musicians can advise you of where and when they are performing, so you can get a closer look.

In order to secure your "first choice" band or performer, we suggest that you contact us as soon as possible. Many bands and performers are booked as much as a year in advance of the actual performance date. By contacting the musician through our referral service, you can find out everything you need to know about their availability. However, with over 150,000 professional musicians localed in more than 400 Locals throughout the U.S. and Canada, there are always several suitable musicians available.

Cost

While the cost will vary from one group to another, the exact amount will depend on the size of the group, the length of the performance (usually 3 or 4 hours), the occasion, and the group's popularity. But you'll find that live music usually costs about the same as hiring a DJ -- and sometimes less -- and makes every event special.

Most booking agencies charge from 15% to 25% more than the musicians fee. Since this is a free service, it costs you absolutely nothing. You pay only for the music, not the referral. Plus, through the union, you get to talk with your musicians directly. Through an agent, you may not have the opportunity to tailor the music to your wishes.

Contracts

First, download our sample contract (PDF, Microsoft Word) for use in formalizing agreements when hiring musicians.

Non-union bands and DJs don't always provide a signed contract. Contracts are one of the professional musician's tools of the trade -- just like his or her instruments and sound equipment. The AFM expects every one of its member bands to provide consumers with contracts as "peace of mind" insurance. There is no organization or trade association monitoring the activities of non-union bands or DJs.

We can provide you with an official AFM contract, to ensure that financial and logistical agreements are upheld. By contracting with the musician or band you're hiring, you can be guaranteed that you'll get the band you want at the date and time you want them. Once signed, the AFM group is obligated to honor the contract -- and so is the purchaser.

With a contract, you and the musician can be "covered" even if you have to cancel your event or party. A cancellation clause allows the purchaser to cancel the engagement with sufficient advance notice (agreed upon by both you and the band) may be added to any AFM contract. This way, you don't get stuck -- and neither does the musician.