Meet Jacey Bedford
‘I started my agency in 1998, though I learned the business by getting gigs for my own band from 1985 onwards. Yes, that means I’ve been a full-time performer, touring the UK and abroad, and I’ve also booked artists for festivals and events, so I’ve worn several different folk- business hats over the years.
It’s my job as an agent, to match-make artists and events. I’m not looking for ‘gigs at any price’. Making the right connections helps both artists and bookers to get the best deal and build up ongoing relationships.
Folk Music Agent Tells All 
Hi Jacey, It’s good to “see” you again. Glad you are doing well (and, by the way, no your mouth doesn’t look big). Bill and I and the Good Folk have missed Artisan even though we know you all retired shortly after you all appeared in the U.S. with us. There has never been any other group like you. One of these days Bill and I WILL come to the U.K. to visit and when that happens we hope we can stop to see you all.
If Eileen McGann will be touring the U.S. in 2013 or 2014 (yes, we are still going) please let me know.
Cheers, you lovely woman,
Brandi Hayden
Good Folk Coffeehouse, Rowayton, CT
Hey, Brandi, how lovely to hear from you. Say Hi to all our friends in CT for us. We do miss seeing people, though our ‘retirement’ from the road is hugely busy. Brian is doing a lot of recording for other people and between my agency and my writing, I’m more than full-time at my computer keyboard. In the UK we’ve gone from doing 30,000 miles a year in our car to under 3,000. Bliss! I don’t miss the traffic jams.
We still see Hilary every week. She and I steal an afternoon off together on Wednesdays and go to the cinema to see every science fiction or fantasy movie we can find. Other than that I can be found hustling gigs for other people. We did an Artisan reunion tour last year (5 years since we retired, would you believe?) but we didn’t manage to get to the USA, though we made it as far as Canada. The whole US work permit thing was too much for us to cope with (money and time-wise) for the little time that we had available for us to be there.
Glad to hear you’re still doing your gigs in Rowayton. We remember working with you and Bill with great fondness. Are you still going to the Northeast Regional Folk Alliance? I’ve passed your contact details on to Eileen McGann. I don’t set up her gigs in the USA, but I’m sure her American agent will be in touch.
If you come to the UK Please do get in touch. Remember that there’s a lot more to this country than London (a mistake a lot of American visitors make). Do plan on making the trip north to see us in Yorkshire. If you want to keep in closer touch my email address is on the agency webpage at http://www.jacey-bedford.com.