The Enterprising Musician's Guide to Performer Contracts

David R. Williams is a former professional musician with a doctorate in music and in law. He has lectured on music industry law at Yale University, Tanglewood Music Center, Manhattan School of Music, the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and the Crane Institute for Music Business and Entrepreneurship at SUNY Potsdam, among other institutions. He also serves as company manager for TriCities Opera in Binghamton, New York. Visit www.EnterprisingArtistConsulting.com to learn about his workshops and consulting work and to explore additional resources.

Foreword - Stephanie Blythe

Introduction

PART I: CONTRACT LAW AND THE AMERICAN LEGAL SYSTEM
Chapter One—A Brief Overview of the American Legal System
Chapter Two—Contract Basics
Chapter Three—Breach of Contract (When Things Go Wrong)

PART II: THE NUTS & BOLTS OF CONTRACT INTERPRETATION
Chapter Four—Interpreting Contract Language: 8 Tips for Getting Started
Chapter Five—Clauses Commonly Found in Musicians’ Contracts
Chapter Six—A Step-by-Step Guide for Analyzing Your Contracts

PART III: PERFORMERS’ CONTRACTS
Chapter Seven—Musicians’ Engagement (“gig”) Contracts
Chapter Eight—Personal Representation

PART IV: RESOURCES
Chapter Nine—Self Help

Index