Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Brooks.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Debbie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
My music career started as a cellist in the Fort Worth Symphony and an active freelancer. It wasn’t until I took over a massive tour from another contractor that I was thrown into the contracting. Up until then, I might have contracted a wedding here and there, but I had never done anything on this big a scale. That tour was Andrea Bocelli’s North American Tour in April 2000, which included four cities: Nashville, Atlanta, Houston, and Dallas, a 77-piece orchestra, and a budget that blew the roof off anything that I’d seen before. It’s still the biggest single job that I’ve ever done. When it was over, instead of saying, “Whew! I’m glad that’s over and don’t have to do anything like that again,” I knew that I was born to do this. My decades of work as an orchestral player and freelancer had prepared me to know what musicians needed to perform well, as well as a business sense that grew as needed. So, my first job required me to run federal payroll, which required me to incorporate right out of the gate, which is unusual in the music freelance scene.
From that auspicious beginning, the business just grew over time. My company became a real full-time business after a decade, with no real specialty. Most contractors do one style or type of ensemble really well, but I’ve managed to venture into many styles of music and any type of ensemble.
Has it been a smooth road?
There was a lot to learn, especially on the administrative side. Learning the ropes of running a company has had its bumps. Each job brought a special challenge, especially the bigger ones. The easiest part is hiring, managing, and paying the musicians. But some of the admin sides required a steep learning curve. Ideally, I would’ve earned an MBA along the way. When a company gets big, you really need help. So, I’ve learned to bring in help when needed.
Tell us about your company. What do you do, what do you specialize in, what are you known for, etc. What are you most proud of as a company? What sets you apart from others?.
My company is a full-service, music-contracting company. I hire musicians for events, big and small, whether it’s a backup string group for Dierks Bentley at the ACM Awards for a national television audience or a private event for a family. I hire local musicians when required for some national touring shows that come to the Winspear Opera House. Whatever kind of event where you see musicians, I’ve probably hired for that type of event at least once. The quality of the ensembles is pervasive throughout, no matter what style of music and the size of the ensemble. I absolutely obsess about how I put groups together with the vision of how that group will sound in a performance. I keep up with thousands of musicians, their strengths and areas of expertise, and strive to hire those best suited for that particular job. The amount of thought that goes into this is unique. By now, I totally trust my instincts with this, even if it doesn’t make sense to other people. It’s really not the kind of thing that you can teach, because my relationship to each musician and client is unique.
It is incredibly rewarding to serve clients and musicians. What began in 2000 has turned into a life mission for me. It truly is a service industry.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
From other musicians who move here, they say that the Dallas area is a huge freelance market, one of the best and most open to new talent. Many musicians move here for that reason. It would surprise you if I listed other prominent areas with a more closed market than ours. But there’s always a danger of a glut when there are so many musicians looking for work, even in the best areas. Any contractor would tell you that they wish that they could hire even more people than they do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dfwmusiciansservices.com
- Phone: 800.847.5988
- Email: info@dfwmusiciansservices.com
- Facebook: https://facebook.com/DFWMusiciansServices
Image Credit:
The personal photo is Courtesy of: Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, The photo in the church (2nd down from the top) is Courtesy of: Stanley Ford
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