MUSIC HISTORY LESSON
Each month, a mini lesson in music history.
Who was PT Barnum and why is he often referred
to in music industry discussions?
by Jinjer Hundley
Phineas Taylor Barnum (July 5, 1810-April 7, 1891) was the ultimate
entertainment promoter and originated practices that are still standard in
the live music industry today. Didn't matter whether you were opera singer
Jenny Lind (aka "The Swedish Nightingale"), General Tom Thumb, Jumbo the
Elephant, or a bizarre hoax such as the Feejee Mermaid. All were promoted
with equal fervor.
Never mind Celine Dion or Elton John's multi-million dollar long-term stints
in Vegas. PT Barnum inked a deal to promote Jenny Lind's 1850 American tour
at $1,000 a night for one hundred and fifty nights-- an unheard of number of
shows at the time.
All expenses including servants, carriages, and not more than three musical
assistants were paid by PT Barnum, originating the practice of having the
purchaser pay for expenses. He secured her by way of an $150,000 advance to
her London bankers, instituting the practice of artists requiring deposits
to book a show.
PT Barnum promoted his ventures by flooding the press with ads, and he had
quite a knack for hype. The press jumped on the public's outrage over Jenny
Lind ticket prices and were confident that prices would be lower when the
public began to boycott Jenny's concerts.
However, after three concerts
Barnum announced that the 4th concert would be her last and would only be
for charity, causing a demand for more shows. Barnum refused, in spite of
offers of guarantees up to $25,000 for three concerts. The hype put tickets
to the rest of her tour in high demand, proving his theory that there is no
such thing as bad press.
Oh and by the way...let us set the record straight, once and for all. PT
Barnum was not the one who said "There's a sucker born every minute." It was
said by his competitor, banker David Hannum, but that's a whole other story.
Phrases that PT Barnum did invent are:
Jumbo: We wouldn't have jumbo shrimp on our menus today if not for
P.T.'s
famous elephant.
Throwing your hat in the ring: A local politician threw his hat into Barnum's
circus ring after declaring his candidacy.
Grandstanding: Rich & famous sat in the grandest stands at the circus to be
noticed.
Let's get the show on the road: Barnum would announce this when it was time
to load the circus animals on to the train.
Rain or Shine: Because of the famous big top, the show always went on, rain
or shine. (Concert tickets still say that to this day.)
And, of course, "The Greatest Show on Earth"
In 1881, Barnum teamed up with James A. Bailey. Barnum & Bailey's Circus was
purchased in 1907 by the Ringling Brothers.
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