NO BROWN M&Ms!!! or They Wanted What?!

Signed Vixen contract and artist contract requirements, 1984. A small bouquet of flowers was requested in the artists' dressing room and at least one large mirror. 

Johnny Cash contract including how to hang the American Flag on the stage, 1978.

Altered Doobie Brothers contract, 1978. Prior to removing some contract requirements, the contract included the purchase of 1 case of beer and 8 bottles of liquor and wine. 

Contract between Tennessee Tech and Tau Kappa Epsilon for Conway Twitty Security, 1979.

Contracts for Concerts at Tennessee Tech

Performance contracts for the band Van Halen demanded a bowl of M&Ms in their dressing room in their performance contracts, but there could be no brown ones. If there were brown, the promoter would forfeit show. Sometimes bands would outdo each other with contract demands, but another reason for these contracts was that promoters needed to ensure that the contract was actually read. The Tennessee Tech contracts reflect some of the needs of the artists; some reasonable and others less so. Many entertainers asked for items that would be hard to locate in the small town, such as no-back bar stools measuring exactly 4’3” and foods that were not available in Cookeville. Alcohol posed two problems. Cookeville was a dry town until 1992 and the University did not host events with alcohol or pay for it. Fortunately, most contracts were altered to make it possible to host. Materials we did not provide were crossed out and the contract would be revised. Contract writers for artists on the college circuit recognized that universities, especially state universities, could not provide things such as alcohol.

NO BROWN M&Ms!!! or They Wanted What?!