I am a musician, and singer of a sort .... and people have told me that I have added quite a lot to festivals and faires I have performed for. I don't do it for free, and people who provide services for others should understand that we who perform are also trying to make a living. You wouldn't expect an attorney, or a doctor, or an electrician or pipefitter to do something for you for free, yet when it comes to musicians and singers... somehow our service is not seen as being worth anything. We get offered a place to perform for "hat" or sales of CDs, which to me is a bit insulting. With the economy the way it is now, people around here do not tip anymore. Most patrons of faires in this area figure you are being paid by the festival or the management to be there... so if you end up with 30 dollars in tips at the end of the day at a faire after 10 hours of wandering around performing you are lucky. Patrons do not tip on average because they have been hit when they come through the gate with an entry fee, and to justify the high entry fees some faires say things like "Well, for that 17.00 - 20.00 you get a lot of entertainment!!" So you are counting MY LABOR and talent as part of the cost of your entry fee, yet you balk at paying me a decent wage to play?? Interesting logic there.

That being said, last year (2008) when I played for Mayfaire in Marshall, Mi. I was scheduled to play 5 shows a day as well as playing for the royal tea, and the lanes.. I didnt have a contract or even have an application, yet I showed up as scheduled and played (at my own expense, mind you)... and when I was told that without a contract, I was not included in "the budget", I did get justifiably upset.  It is a 2 1/2 hour drive to this faire for me, and I am not even going to be paid the cost of my gas to and from the place??? I love playing festivals, and performing for people ... I wish I could say it makes it all worth it, and for the most part it does... but when it starts costing me money to do it, then I can't afford it anymore... this is what I do for a living now. I talked to a friend who was on the board about it, and he assured me he would look into it. and he did. To be fair, they did pay me "something" which amounted to about 60 dollars a day, at a time when it cost me 40-50 dollars to fill my gas tank. Anyone else in my shoes would be upset.

I admit, I did get caught taking one drink of Jameson from a flask. I do use a little whiskey now and again for my throat and voice, people who know me can attest to the fact that I am not a drinker. Two glasses of wine or beer and I am under the table. I played for Mayfaire for 4 years without incident or problem, yet I was told there were "concerns" about me from last year, and I can only imagine it was because of that ONE drink I took.

Funny, I get ostracized for doing ONCE in public what everyone else was doing repeatedly, behind the scenes. The head of security who gave me such a hard time over it had empty Woodchuck cider bottles strewn all around his fire pit next to his tent, yet I was harassed and made to feel like a criminal by him for ONE drink.

Be that as it may, the entertainment director and faire director and I talked about it, and I assured them that it was an isolated incident. They assured me I would be hired back the following year (2009) as long as I got my application in early I would be included in the budget, etc. etc. But it was not to be.

This year I sent in my application early, I turned down two paying gigs so that I would be available for Mayfaire and waitied patiently for a contract, or some word one way or the other. There was nothing. No call, no e-mail.... I was totally ignored even after repeated attempts to reach Sandi (Ravin) the entertainment director by e-mail and phone. It was as if I never existed for them.

I was hurt and surprised when I finally received an e-mail a couple of weeks ago stating that there were "concerns" about me from last year, and asking me to call Sandi to discuss them.

What??? Call??? Call who??? I can't get anyone to answer the phone, or return calls, after repeated attempts. I really expected to be treated better than this, at least a phone call or an e-mail explaining why I was not going to be hired back after I was promised a contract last year. I figured Mayfaire owed me at least that, but I figured wrong. They don't feel they owed me anything at all apparently. Now instead of hurt and surprised, I am insulted... and very hurt.

I thought of the people at Mayfaire as friends, and indeed most people there are dear friends and I wish them well. I hope their season is great and they do well in all their endeavors... but I for one will never set foot in Mayfaire again for any reason whatsoever. I wouldn't contribute a dime in entertainment or entry fees to the organizers who saw fit to treat me this way, and I seriously doubt I ever will again. I am justifiably upset and hurt that I would be treated so unprofessionally.

I am sad to say that Silver Leaf treated me better, and Silver Leaf treated me like crap.

For shame, Mayfaire... you should hang your heads in shame for the way you have treated me.... after four years of performing for barely the cost of my expenses for you to do this is reprehensible and unfair.

I am very sad that I was treated so shamefully by people who call themselves "professionals" and friends, I guess I will know better next time.. and will keep my guard up at all times.

Good luck to my friends who will still continue to play Mayfaire, may you have a great season there, I will miss you all. The last four years was fun, and I really was starting to feel like I belonged.... but that feeling is gone now. I sincerely hope you are treated better than I was.

I hope to see you at MRF this season. Be well and prosper.

your servant;

Conor Savage (Kevin Tyler)