The Tailgate Entertainer | Performers | Performance Business | Creatives | Artists | Talent Buyers

Welcome to my show everyone! Merry Christmas to you! Now, if you’ve never heard our show before, we are all about the fair industry. We don’t spend a lot of time talking about corn dogs or Ferris Wheels, even though those are two important parts. We spend most of our time talking about the amazing people involved, and that’s why I stay in it. I decided to make this episode a Christmas episode, but that doesn’t mean I’m leaving out all the people who celebrate in a different way.  We have a fantastic guest coming your way, and her name is Teddy Anne Cunningham. She is originally from Wyoming and lives there now with her husband and two kids. She has been playing at fairs for over 25 years, mostly with her brother Cal. They are both amazing artists. She told me a funny story about them growing up, she said they were “reluctant graduates of the wooden spoon youth movement program, under the supervision of Mama Lark Lindford”. Which kind of reminds me a bit of my mama as well. I love her story, plus, she is a str

If you have talent, as yet untapped, or you love watching performers do their thing at fairs, Terry Fator will certainly inspire you. Whether or not you are in the fair industry, you will love Terry. Listen to his down to earth approach to becoming successful as he talks to Alan Bruess about his meteoric rise to fame since 2005, on today's episode of Tailgate Entertainer.   Terry, singer, comedian and ventriloquist/impersonator,  a great, funny, regular guy, won America's “Who's got Talent” in 2007. One year later, he signed a five-year deal with The Mirage for $100,000,000! All this, with skills he honed while performing at fairs. Listen in today, as Terry talks to Alan about his incredible experiences and the fascinating people he has met, in the world of the fair industry. Join Terry and Alan, as they discuss:   Terry's passion for performing on stage. How Terry started performing at age three. The touching story of Terry's sensitive handling of an autistic boy at a “meet and greet” session. What it take

This week, we have Karla Majewski to tell us about her animal business. She and her family live on 4 acres in California with almost 200 exotic animals. For nearly 3 decades, her company, Pacific Animal Productions, has been helping to conserve wildlife and endangered species while educating people about the wonders of wildlife. During animal “edu-tainment” exhibits, she lets people see and touch the animals.  She comes up with inspired ideas that are mutually beneficial to both humans and animals. She even feeds people with crickets – stir-fried, in tacos, to provide safe animal protein to people. Show Notes How eating insects is becoming more popular around the world Her school programs – educational show about animals What edutainment accomplishes The most renewable protein source for humans - crickets! Making cricket tacos in her shows She likes grasshoppers too! Bugs are pollinators therefore beneficial for men and nature Why kids today know more about animals than kids did in the past She employs 5 ful

Welcome to a conversation with my friend, Marty Davis. Marty has been in the fair industry longer than anyone I know. This is an honest interview from Marty’s heart with a little bit of crazy thrown in! If you listen all the way to the end, you’ll be treated to a yodeling lesson, a story about streaking, some great advice, and some cowboy songs, too! Don’t miss it! What you’ll hear in this episode: How Marty started his lifelong love affair with the guitar Working as a DJ and singing with a band Stories from The Golden Nugget in Las Vegas Why Marty felt like cowboy band costumes were important How he met his wife, Kate---and got engaged after just ONE HOUR of conversation! (47 years of marriage followed!) Bored and unsatisfied with not being the very best Why Marty longed for the “old cowboy sound” “God Bless Old Glory” Yodeling 101 Why Marty believes in mentoring kids Marty’s beginning in the fair industry—1976 Why Marty has mentored many in the fair industry, even offering up his home to many as a stable

Welcome to a great show with my friend, Pam Shultz. Pam and her husband of 34 years, Rob, run The Imagination Gallery, a business which provides hands-on, interactive science displays for fairgoers. You’ll be inspired by Pam’s passion for what she loves to do and what she’s learned. Join us!   What you’ll hear in this episode: How Pam and Rob started with sand sculptures and teaching science to science shows The evolution of their current fair business How things got out of balance initially with their family The teamwork now in their business and family The agreement about “the final say” Rules for employees and why they exist Fairs that “took a chance” on them in the beginning “How much can I charge?” vs. “How can I provide great value?” Loving what you do and having an impact on people Barbara Walters: Pam’s inspiration Pam’s favorite thing about fair work? Engaging with others Why Pam loves reading and learning Pam’s book recommendations for young people starting out in the fair industry: How Starbucks

How does a couple travel non-stop, perform shows all over the United States, and still manage to love each other at the end of each day? Professional magician Jeff Martin and his wife Pam share the secrets of keeping it all together." Show Notes How the relationship started Their show is an organized business with Pam behind Jeff Is it tough to be just behind the limelight, not among the show performers We are all stronger when we become a community in show business or entertainment industry What is Jeff’s biggest struggle? What is Pam’s biggest struggle? What is Jeff’s favorite food on the road? What Jeff would buy if he won the lottery? What Jeff likes about Pam They’re both on the same wavelength   Resources jmartinmagic.com    

A win-win strategy for both buyers and sellers trying to find common ground at trade shows. In this discussion, Elisa Hays and Alan Bruess talk about how to communicate more effectively between the two sides and the importance of creating dialogue centered on added value. Show Notes What does “negotiating up” mean? What buyers and sellers can ask each other to start negotiating How can an entertainer provide more value to get higher pay? Solving the problem of maximizing value with a limited budget Trade shows and conventions matter to both the fair management and fair service providers The trade show interaction is transactional and relational, according to Elisa When fair managers decide to “negotiate down” they bring in LESS to the fair When entertainers try to book their business and they look at big holes in their calendar Nobody wants to step up their game when somebody keeps negotiating down When entertainers say: “ I guess I’m not a good fit for you” Can entertainers emphasize their main skills and

In this heart warming episode, Tammie Ryan shares her lifelong involvement in the fair industry.  She talks about her challenges as an entrepreneur, living on the road, and where she sees the greatest opportunities for others.  Tammie is highly respected and loved by many in the industry.  As you listen to her open up about her life in this episode, you will quickly understand why.   Tammy is instrumental in getting Alan Bruess into the entertainment industry Tammy invited Alan into the convention The biggest takeaway in the job that she remembers She knows almost everybody in the industry Talking about your products to build relationships? Her biggest struggle when she was starting She always wanted to be a teacher She believes the younger generation needs to get involved in the industry Tips in building relationships   Tips for success in the industry

Let’s talk about the biggest struggles or challenges that artists encounter as performers. My own biggest struggle is:  losing my voice.  Here are 5 different artists and their challenges: Washboard Willy He was our guest in Episode 4. He travels  all the time and often looks forward to a downtime.  His hardest struggle is about losing his sense of community with his own hometown, the place where he grew up.  Listen and learn what it is he is struggling with and what the 3 things he does to countercheck the situation. You can find him at http:///washboardwilly.com   Elisa HaysShe has been performing  onstage for a very long time and her biggest challenge, she says, is how to be like the children who have undistracted, sharp focus on everything around them. What does she do to be like these authentically undistracted cute audience? Her website is www.elisahays.com   Steve Hamilton (also known as Steve the Pretty Good) Was our guest on episode 5. He said his biggest challenge is how to get booked. One day,

Through hard work and dedication to his craft, Brady has launched into the music scene with a style all his own.  He talks about how he developed his own style as a unique blend of many of his music heroes. He sharpened his musical skills day after day but his parents decided he should get formal training.  Brady dreaded the idea of taking real lessons and says he had an “attention deficit disorder” when it came to structured piano lessons. He would play the piano in his own way and with awesome creativity! Brady’s dad loved the style of Jerry Lee Lewis and so did he. The diversity and creativity of Jerry Lee Lewis fed and bred Brady’s innate musical mind – from country music to jazz, and rock n roll – he improvised. Brady was born to play music and sing but he is also a great rancher and a baseball player. He was told he had a keen ear for music. Others think he has a great voice and savvy fingers on the instruments. We think he’s got all of the above.   What you’ll hear from Brady and the Tailgate Entertai

Our guest is Louie Foxx, a comedy magician who discovered his knack for playing tricks when he was in kindergarten. It’s the very first time in our show that a guest reads a long introspective entry from his personal journal. Louie read a lengthy entry and I’m thankful for his childish candor. In his journal, he admits to himself that he’s scared of the audience, most likely, his audience’s reaction. He also struggled to keep his speech slower and more coherent.  In high school, he got really serious about making people laugh. He built and carried with him a rickety table and rode the bus into downtown to perform magic tricks on the street corner and got paid by “passing the hat”.     In 1996, the Society of American Magician voted Louie as the Best Stage Magician and Best Close-Up Magician in Minnesota. He has also been featured twice in the prestigious Linking Ring magazine which is a magazine for the 13,000 members of the International Brotherhood of Magicians. Louie has also written several books about m

Wow! It’s the 26th episode of Tailgate Entertainer! I’ve gone this far, more than halfway in meeting my personal commitment to the show. My personal commitment is to deliver a show every Tuesday of every week. It’s not an easy task for a guy like me, 52 years old, who works 12-15 hours a day on my regular job; and I have to add more work hours talking to our guest performers and scheduling their interview, preparing interview questionnaires, setting up the hardware, recording the actual interview, editing the audio to be able to share with you the tips, advice, strategies, and secrets of talented performing artists in the fair & entertainment industry. At this point, it’s not a revenue generator for me and I spend a couple of hundred bucks each month to produce the show so I can present the colorful lives  and career of fair people.  I learned I have been able to spend quality time and collect wisdom from them and how they succeeded in the fair industry; and I happily shared everything with my audience.  

This week’s guest is Karen Quest, a cowgirl performer born in St. Louis, Missouri, raised in Studio City, California, studied and taught in New York City, and now based in San Francisco, CA. After earning a B.A. in Theatre Arts from California State University at Northridge, she moved to New York City to join the No Elephant Circus and taught with Circus Education Specialists.  She continues to blaze a trail with her one-woman act which she calls “Cowgirl Tricks”. Karen trained at the Dell' Arte School of Physical Theater, Ringling Brothers and Barnum. She is an instructor at the San Francisco School of Circus Arts. She has performed to audiences between the size of 5 to 10,000 persons. Did you know that her grandma sent her to a modeling school? What you’ll hear in this episode: Where she had trained What tricks are included in her show What else she does while stilts-walking What she calls her 8-foot tall cowgirl (herself, on stilts) Why she is the perfect choice for your events – fair, festival, corporate

Tailgate features Alan’s best friend, John Dunnigan, a most amazing musician who is of the same caliber as the legendary musicians that generations have applauded.  He learned to play the guitar as a child because his dad played well and the guitar was always in a corner waiting for him to play it.  He writes his own fine music and keeps his albums acoustic and loose-sounding. The highly humorous album “Censored” has 12 songs of which half was written by John. He lives in Montana with his family and spends his leisure time fishing, his favorite pastime. He performs throughout Montana and the Northwest mostly at  fairs, and at corporate events, weddings, schools, and other venues. His voice and his instrument blend in perfect music. Indeed, John Dunnigan can sing a song so beautiful he can make you cry; and he can blurt out a joke in another moment to make you laugh. His music can make you think, laugh, and sing or dance along.  John has 5 music albums and he sang excerpts from about 7 singles in this episode

For the first time, we have a co-host-- it’s John Dunnigan! Our guest is the only one of its kind, Eric Haines, a classic one-man-band entertainer, stand-up stilt walker, artist-illustrator, comedian, juggler, unicyclist, guitarist, and variety artist.  Eric has a bass drum slung on his back, a banjo over his shoulder, and plenty of bells and whistles everywhere else! Kids and adults have the chance to play along on maracas, spoons, and a special washboard equipped with a cowbell.   Eric began his career as a corporate entertainer in 1985.  Then he went full time as a professional comedian in 1995.  He now has over twenty-five years total experience working as an all-around entertainer, both as a comedian and in the professional fields of theater, children’s theater, school assembly programs, fairs and festival entertainment, school workshops and corporate entertainment.    Listen to Eric’s  story, music, and comedy. Show notes    How Eric became a one-man-band When clients regard him as a great value, How

Welcome! My guest today has been a friend of mine in the fair industry for over 15 years. I’ve always been intrigued at the way Matt Baker dissects and analyzes his performance after every show. He never lacks the discipline and determination to improve his craft. His comedy stunt show is funny, original, and very impressive. Join me for a great conversation with Matt!   What you’ll hear in this episode: From Eugene, Oregon to Western Samoa to Europe Performing in schools and then on the streets Matt’s challenges at being raised as a conservative Mormon in a hippie town Rebellion, drugs, and living out of control Matt’s terrifying experience at wilderness camp Living on the streets at age 15 How Matt was hunted down by a bounty hunter---for REAL!! How Matt became a professional hacky-sack player in Europe—(yes, there is such a thing) Why Matt hates his shows and says they are horrible! Matt’s struggle in the development of his show Matt’s worst gig ever? A track and field meet in Midland, TX, and the death

My guest today is a super busy person from the management side of the fair industry---for her entire career! Judy Carrico knows the importance of developing business relationships and developing trust. She is the fair operations manager at the Alameda County Fair in California. Judy is also the author of How to Plan, Pay For and Put on a Wildly Successful Fair Without Losing Your Mind, Your Family or Your Friends. From her 30+ years of fair management, Judy has lots of wisdom and LOTS of great stories. Join us! What you’ll hear in this episode: How Judy stepped out of college and into the full-time fair life Why Judy followed a friend into the fair industry, leaving her dream of becoming a veterinarian behind The best ways to learn the fair industry Judy’s job and duties: “I plan a party for 450,000 people and spend other people’s money to put it on!” The biggest problem facing fairs? Funding for infrastructure for small and medium-sized fairs Why fairs are so important as a gathering place for communities

My guest today is a 22-year old Cale Moon, a Nashville recording artist, singer, and songwriter. In 2013, his parents sold their home and hit the road to promote Cale’s music. Cale’s terrific support team went to over 300 shows last year. He has an inspiring story of perseverance and determination. Join us!   What you’ll hear in this episode: How Cale is inspired by Roy Rogers Cale’s team and the story of his music career At age 15, began playing guitar, along with singing and acting How guitar made him more of a people-person Learning to tell others’ stories Hitting the road/lessons learned Cale’s biggest surprise? “How much life on the road in a bus costs-just to keep going!” Satisfying life One of Cale’s most important mentors? Marty Davis What Cale truly desires Sleepy Little Town—one of Cale’s first songs Learning to market yourself at a young age Cale’s advice to young performers: “Be humble, be approachable, and always be willing to learn.” How young performers undervalue themselves and sell out for

Welcome to an episode I’m calling “Mid-Season Madness,” because we in the fair industry are at the midway point of our season. Most of us have been out on the road, away from home, for a LONG time now. I’m currently in Missoula, Montana, after recent stays in Great Falls, Bozeman----and the list goes on and on. What makes it different for me right now is that I’m traveling with my son, which is terrific for me. Today’s episode is a Tailgate Talk, which means it’s just you and me, talking about some of the behind-the-scenes aspects of the fair life. Let’s talk about some important refreshers---some things for all of us to remember at this point in the season. Here are Five Tips to help you get through the rest of the season: What we’re creating for fairgoers are EXPERIENCES They are paying for wonderful, impressive experiences Give of YOURSELF Magical things happen! Do something out of the ordinary for someone else Shhh! This is one of life's  secrets! (but it shouldn’t be a SECRET!) Get a different pe

Welcome! I’m excited to introduce you to my friend, Mike Parsons. Mike has an authentic “rags to riches to rags to riches” story to share about his life and his work. I have a hilarious story to share about how Mike and I first became friends; it involves a joke I played on him that made him mad, but I soon gained a friend for life. Mike owns and operates Black Tie Extreme, a full-service professional DJ and Entertainment company. Join us as Mike shares his amazing story!  What you’ll hear in this episode: Mike’s early life: “The ONLY child of 11 children” Working in construction at age 13, but laid off repeatedly The ups and downs of employment How Mike became a medical assistant ($1200/month) Becoming a DJ: making more in a weekend than in two weeks as a medical assistant. Starting a custom closet company Becoming a mortgage broker and financial success ($30,000/month!) An upgraded lifestyle of unnecessary things Losing it all when the banking industry tanked A downsized life, washing cars for money B