# He's Rich enough to book Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers for your wedding. Who would u hire? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 4, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439 "2012-08-04T17:42:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/1 "2012-08-04T17:42:14Z")
Guy got scammed the first attempt. He still was wealthy enough to book the band for his wedding. :eek: I’ve heard of this before. People hiring tennis or golf pros to spend the weekend playing sports. I’d hire some of the pro billiard players if I was rich. 😃 Love playing 9 ball and I rarely find anyone good enough to challenge me. Music??? I’d drop a quarter million in a heartbeat to get Joan Jett playing at my party. Emmylou Harris? Half a million and I get a kiss. Just one! 🙂 If, I was rich, I’d go for it. 😃 Who would you hire? > **[Amazon exec who wanted Tom Petty to play at his wedding 'swindled out of...](https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2183491/Brian-Valentine-Amazon-exec-wanted-Tom-Petty-play-wedding-swindled-160-000-fake-booking-agent.html)** > > Brian Valentine, 52, wanted Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to play at his wedding in Seattle as a 'gift' to his new wife - but was scammed out of the hefty sum through a fake booking website. > [@](#): > > An Amazon exec who proposed to his girlfriend at a Tom Petty concert was allegedly fleeced out of $165,000 by a fake booking agent claiming he could book the singer for the couple’s wedding. > > Brian Valentine, 52, wanted Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers to play at his wedding in July as a ‘gift’ to his new wife, fellow Amazon vice president Gianna Puerini, according to a criminal complaint. > \ > Despite his massive loss, there was a happy ending: Valentine could still afford to pay for the band to perform at the wedding in Seattle, Washington - this time, going through legitimate avenues. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/2 "2012-08-04T19:20:39Z")
I’m sorry, I’m just laughing thinking of having U2 (or really anyone) play for my previous wedding party. Me, my wife, my sister, her daughter, and her friend who officiated. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/3 "2012-08-04T19:38:52Z")
The Stones, of course. ---
**Author:** ![D\_Odds](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/d_odds/32/2882_2.png) [@D\_Odds](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/D_Odds)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/4 "2012-08-04T23:01:08Z")
Yes, but only with Jon Anderson on vocals. ---
**Author:** ![ducati](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/cc9497/32.png) [@ducati](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ducati)\ **Post date:** [August 4, 2012, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/5 "2012-08-04T23:16:20Z")
My company’s annual meeting featured Chicago as the night’s entertainment. My boss had Paul McCartney come sing for his wife’s birthday. Me, I’d have Chuck Mangione come live with me. We could stack a bunch of boxes and stuff in the basement for him to hide in, and I would have him play stuff for me all day long. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/6 "2012-08-05T00:13:10Z")
Well, he didn’t hire them because they were invited guests and he was practically a member of the band himself, but [Jason Bonham’s](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jason_Bonham) father’s former bandmates Jimmy Page, Robert Plant, and John Paul Jones, jammed at his wedding. ---
**Author:** ![j666](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de0a6/32.png) [@j666](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j666)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/7 "2012-08-05T00:38:29Z")
I would hire Bruce Hornsby to play a Steinway grand. ---
**Author:** ![coolbyrne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@coolbyrne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coolbyrne)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/8 "2012-08-05T01:41:59Z")
David Bowie. He could sing whatever he wants so long as one song is “Oh, You Pretty Things!” and another is “Young Americans”. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/9 "2012-08-05T01:43:51Z")
He’s gotta sing _Let’s Dance_ – it’s a wedding. Dancing is mandatory. ---
**Author:** ![coolbyrne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bc79bd/32.png) [@coolbyrne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/coolbyrne)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/10 "2012-08-05T01:52:17Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > He’s gotta sing _Let’s Dance_ – it’s a wedding. Dancing is mandatory. And perhaps “Modern Love” just to see if anyone’s paying attention to the lyrics. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/11 "2012-08-05T02:09:34Z")
I’d like to book Rockpile for my next social engagment, and I want them to open with _Seven Nights To Rock_. ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/12 "2012-08-05T02:24:24Z")
There you go. When Rockpile’s done at your gig, they can come do mine, and they have to play “Heart.” ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/13 "2012-08-05T07:10:01Z")
I know several people who book bands, and honestly, a lot of people who aren’t playing arenas are surprisingly cheap. I know one person who hired Todd Rundgren to play his back yard for $5000. How did this guy get ripped off? Didn’t he know how to find a copy of Pollstar magazine? They have it at Barnes and Noble. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/14 "2012-08-05T07:12:48Z")
> [@Sigmagirl](#): > > There you go. When Rockpile’s done at your gig, they can come do mine, and they have to play “Heart.” One of the people I know has Nick Lowe [playing his venue September 27th.](http://www.knuckleheadskc.com/06_calendar.shtml) It’s not Rockpile, but he might play Heart if we ask. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 12:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/15 "2012-08-05T12:50:57Z")
> [@ducati](#): > > My boss had Paul McCartney come sing for his wife’s birthday. Jeez, who’s your boss? That would’ve been a few hundred thou back in the day and $1 million or more now. I have a friend who books those gigs - folks like Jimmy Buffet and Tom Petty are huge draws, but a Beatle or the Stones is rarefied air. I hung out with Ed Robertson of Bare Naked Ladies at a private event some years ago. Great money and he totally understood it and gave a great show. The guy in the OP sounds like a rich idiot - but if you can afford it… For a decently-sized party where Im looking to get people having fun? No question the **Brian Setzer Orchestra** - boppin’ dance tunes, a Stray Cats interlude - and I’d negotiate a private guitar lesson from the Master to be included. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/16 "2012-08-05T14:56:41Z")
> [@coolbyrne](#): > > And perhaps “Modern Love” just to see if anyone’s paying attention to the lyrics. LOL! I have always said if I was foolish enough to actually get MARRIED again I would walk down the aisle to “Modern Love” (I Love my domestic partner, but “I’m not Marrying That.”) The Groom’s theme would be “Under Pressure” ha! Of course the biggest drawback to hiring Bowie to play at my wedding would be I would forget my groom and spend the evening drooling over the hired help! Much safer (and cheaper) to hire Canada’s Favourite Party Band: [Trooper](http://www.trooper.com/) to play. Everyone knows all the songs, they have fast songs, slow songs, and they play every single town/city/festival in Canada every year. Their website makes me giggle, they are Canada’s Oldest and Coolest band. (Most Modest too, one can presume.) Van Morrison would be awesome if I was doing a really sweet traditional white dress all the romantic trimmings wedding. But for my money, Trooper on a beach, with BBQ and kegs, and lots of happy people dancing to “Here for a good time (not a long time)” would be almost worth getting married for. ---
**Author:** ![Ashley\_Pomeroy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c68b51/32.png) [@Ashley\_Pomeroy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ashley_Pomeroy)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/17 "2012-08-05T15:24:47Z")
Come on, someone has to pick Billy Idol. Which song would he sing? It’s an interesting question. I’d be unwilling to hire any musician I particularly liked, because it would just feel wrong to have your musical hero as a paid lackey. And I’d be thinking of those times when Colonel Gadaffi hired Beyonce and Lionel Richie etc. And I’d also be thinking of [this comedy sketch](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-BS71qUeuqg) where a hyperventilating Chris Farley interviews Paul McCartney. No, I’d hire The Fall. They’d do it for nothing, the show would be entertaining, Mark Smith would probably make a scene, and I just like the idea of The Fall playing a wedding. And there are few more romantic songs than “Green-Eyed Loco Man” and “Bury 1/2”. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/18 "2012-08-05T15:38:19Z")
> [@j666](#): > > I would hire Bruce Hornsby to play a Steinway grand. I saw him do this at a benefit some years back for charity. Excellent call. Guy remains quite underrated. Frankly for as much as it’d cost I wouldn’t do it, esp when I think of all the good I could do with that money vs pissing it away on something so incredibly selfish. Not saying I’m so great or anything, and if I was rich you better believe I’d indulge myself with a really nice house etc. But hundreds of thousands just to have a private performance by a musician? I don’t think so. The most I would do is pay a fair chunk of money for a ringside seat at a charity event they’re doing, maybe pay a little extra under the table if I could get to meet them briefly. Question of degree I guess. That all said, if I could get them to perform on the cheap or for big money which would go to charity (etc)…Hornsby is a good call. McCartney has to be up there, even though he’s well past his prime. Tempted to say Steely Dan but I get the impression they have all the social skills of a cactus, and I’m assuming this would include a chance to “chat” w the performers. Pat Metheny also comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![oreally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/7ab992/32.png) [@oreally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/oreally)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/19 "2012-08-05T15:39:26Z")
> [@Ashley\_Pomeroy](#): > > those times when Colonel Gadaffi hired Beyonce and Lionel Richie etc. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 5, 2012, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439/20 "2012-08-05T16:03:49Z")
> [@oreally](#): > > 😕 [http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/03/us-beyonce-gaddafi-idUSTRE72243Q20110303](http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/03/03/us-beyonce-gaddafi-idUSTRE72243Q20110303) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hes-rich-enough-to-book-tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-for-your-wedding-who-would-u-hire/630439.md?page=2)