Music in Schools Today: Mentor Dick Bright

Big Band Leader & Violinist
E-mail Dick your question!

Dick Bright is founder and director of the big band SRO in San Francisco. Dick reminisces: "When I was seven, my parents took me to Harrad's Lake Tahoe to see Jack Benny. At that moment, I knew I wanted to be a professional musician. What Mr. Benny did was to combine comedy and music and that's what drew me to the profession. Humor and music is a winning combination in my book."

"My violin teacher was my greatest influence in becoming a professional musician during the ages of 10-17. I was a good student with lessons two days a week and a better student with lessons six days a week."

He graduated from University of California at Davis, California, then went on to Berkeley. He played in a band called Goosebumps, which had a cult following with its single hit "Gillian's Island/Stairway to Heaven"

Dick describes himself as having been a San Francisco lounge lizard for a number of years. "I was music director for the San Francisco BAMMIES Awards for eleven years. My funniest musical experience was riding an elephant at the BAMMIES at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium. The elephant was followed by a high school marching band, watch your step thank you. My fondest musical memory was meeting and working with musical legends and my personal heroes Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennett, Oscar Peterson and BB King at the San Francisco Fairmont Hotel's Venetian Room, great years for my career."

Dick has hosted a kids' cartoon show called "Cartoon Classics". He has many commercials and films to his credit. Check him out as the waiter in the restaurant scene in "Mrs. Doubtfire" and in "Metro" with Eddie Murphy. He worked on the film score for the movie "The Last Emperor" and worked as a radio DJ for KSFO-AM in San Francisco.

In 1990 He started the 20 piece SRO Band. The rhythm and blues party band performs extensively in the Bay Area and around the world for corporate and private parties, civic events and more.

"Yes, music should be taught in our schools for the obvious pure enjoyment it brings, and for the principals of learning it teaches us such as self-esteem, discipline, team playing, concentration, focus. Learning to play an instrument makes you a better person at whatever you choose to do in life." Dick concludes, "What would I do differently, musically? I would go back and learn how to play the piano. The piano is the root to music; it affords the most musical choices later on."

Stephanie wrote:
Hello, my name is Stephanie, I am a sophomore at Rising Sun High School and for a project in my Communication Through the Arts class I have to find a mentor that is in my feild of interest and ask them some questions. So, I would like to ask you a few questions about your job =)

First, I read your biography and saw that you have performed in many bands. How often did you have to look for jobs and was/is it difficult to find one?

Dick Bright answered:
Hi, Stephanie. It is always a lot of work to look for jobs, but that's part of the music business. Because I play electric violin, it is even harder than the folks that play piano, guitar, etc., the more popular intstruments. So out of necessity, I became a bandleader, so I did not have to wait for other musicians to call me.

Stephanie:
Also, Are the hours you work difficult to adjust to, and do you have good amount of time off for family, holidays, and vacation?

Dick Bright:
There are two aspects to your time. First is playing gigs, the other is preparation time. Gigs generally happen at night, and if you are a busy, successful musician you will be working 3 or 4 nights a week. The day time is for practicing your instrument, making phone calls, and "hustling," marketing, trying to get more gigs. Regarding family, holidays, etc, it really depends. My wife works in the day, and I work most nights, so right now we do not see each other a lot. But it is fine with us, since we have been together a long time. Regarding holidays and vacation, most musicians will work whenever the job comes in, and often we are working on holidays and weekends. I have worked every New Year's Eve since 1974! But you usually have Thanksgiving, Christmas off. Believe me, most musicians complain about having too much free time, so I don't think it is a big issue.

Stephanie:
Another question I have is if the job of a musician is better as a part time job or a full time job?

Dick Bright:
That depends on you. Some people do not want the pressure of having to make a living off their music, so they have other jobs and just play when they want to. For myself, it is all I do, and although it is a very insecure profession since you are always worrying about having enough gigs/making enough money, I would not be happy doing anything else.

Stephanie:
And lastly, does it usually give a decent salary?

Dick Bright:
That's hard to say. It depends on what you call a decent salary. The big money is in writing hit songs, having a big selling CD, playing big concerts if your band is popular enough. That happens for verrrry few people! The rest of us working musicians are out there playing parties and clubs almost every weekend. I make a decent salary as I work very hard, and as leader you make more than the band. But remember, the leader has a lot more responsibility than the other band members.

Stephanie:
If you could email me back with answers for these 5 questions it would be greatly appreciated.

p.s- Happy Holidays

Thank you,
Stephanie

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