gig, what does it mean?

Dayna Wills · Post by **Dayna Wills** » 6 May 2010 9:51 pm

A long time ago there was a thread about the word GIG, what it stood for and where it came from but I can't remember. Does anyone else remember. Is anyone else's Ginko working?

Charles Davidson · Post by **Charles Davidson** » 6 May 2010 11:10 pm

That term has been used since the mid twentys. If you are playing a one nighter that's a gig,If you are playing several nights or touring then it's giging.

YOU BETCHA,DYK?BC.

Michael Johnstone · Post by **Michael Johnstone** » 6 May 2010 11:16 pm

If you are playing a one nighter that's a gig,If you are playing several nights or touring then it's giging.

Where I come from if gigs are abundant,it's called "giggage". Kinda like "baggage".

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 6 May 2010 11:48 pm

The first published reference of the word gig associated with music was in 1926.

The word gig was a name for a small two wheeled horse drawn carriage. Back in the 1920's black musicians in New Orleans could get arrested for panhandling if they played for tips on the street. So they found a loophole in the law by riding down the street in a carriage, or gig, and playing while people tossed money to them. So when musicians would come to town to try and play for tips, they would ask "who had a gig?", so they could make some money and not be arrested for panhandling.

That's the story I heard on how it came about.

Bill McCloskey · Post by **Bill McCloskey** » 7 May 2010 2:59 am

I believe the term was coined by Louis Armstrong. Along with "cat" for fellow musician, and jive.

Louis Armstrong added a lot to the world's vocabulary.

Bo Borland · Post by **Bo Borland** » 8 May 2010 1:43 am

I think Jim Cohen started a related post or once owned a gig

Kevin Hatton · Post by **Kevin Hatton** » 8 May 2010 10:36 am

I still get arrested for my playing. Anybody got a gig?

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 8 May 2010 12:21 pm

Kevin Hatton wrote:I still get arrested for my playing. Anybody got a gig?

Hey Kevin,
I just found a "Country Gig" for sale.

Billy Tonnesen · Post by **Billy Tonnesen** » 8 May 2010 1:05 pm

My little computer Dictionary difines a "GIG" as
"Work as an Entertainer".

Alan Brookes · Post by **Alan Brookes** » 8 May 2010 5:08 pm

It comes from the French word gigue, which is the dance we call the jig, which comes from the same word.

Alvin Blaine · Post by **Alvin Blaine** » 8 May 2010 5:40 pm

Even Wikipedia has the same definition that I always heard(someone must of had the same music history book I had in collage).

From Wikipedia:
definition derives from a small carriage in New Orleans, Louisiana known as a gig, where black musicians could perform, so they would not be arrested for playing on the street.