kgossman I’ve known Taylor Duggin for almost 15 years now. To say that he is the epitome of an extraordinary DJ is an understatement. He’s also an awesome human, complete with his own style and a heart for others. DJ Duggin has been DJ’ing longer than I’ve been planning events and he’s here to teach us all about what how to find the right DJ and the best questions to ask.
Taylor’s story…
The magic of creating or magnifying an atmosphere through skillful music selection has always piqued Taylor’s interest. Born and raised near Bonnaroo in Manchester, TN right outside Music City Nashville, Taylor has always been intrigued by music’s power to move people. So Taylor put on the headphones in college and started DJ’ing! Weddings are his strong suit with over 200 happy couples having performed for. There’s also the events he performed at MTSU, such as Fraternity/Sorority events, campus wide concerts, and Floyd Stadium football games where his DJ sets would pump up thousands of football fans. His passion continued to grow, and at the end of 2019 Taylor had DJ’d well over 400 events in the past 10 years. He is the highest rated DJ on his staff and Taylor still loves bringing smiles to everyone.
Q: Tell us, how did you get started DJ’ing?
Long story short, I started by DJ’ing weddings for family and friends while borrowing equipment from my church.
Q: What should people look for when hiring a DJ?
-Character
-MC Experience
-DJ Experience (duh)
-Modern Equipment
-Are they a Premier DJ? 😉
Q: What are the benefits of hiring a DJ?
-DJs are cheaper than bands
-You hear the music you want to hear, not bands’ renditions.
-Experienced DJ’s are trained MC’s
-Experienced DJs don’t just follow a setlist, they read the room and play what should be played to pack the dance floor.
-If allowed, music requests can be easily made.
-On-on-one music consultation.
Q: What can clients do to prepare themselves for a consultation?
Good information comes from knowing the right questions to ask.
Q: What questions should clients ask?
– How long have you been DJing?
– How many weddings have you done?
– Are you insured?
– Do you have MC experience?
– Where can I find your testimonials?
– Do you offer a written contract?
– Do you bring backup equipment for emergencies?
– Have you worked at my venue before?
– What are your power requirements?
– Is your handheld microphone wireless?
– Do you have limits to what music you can play?
– Will you be the DJ at our wedding?
– In the case of emergency you can’t DJ, what’s your plan?
Q: Should clients make a list of “definitely play” and “don’t play” songs?
Yes, Categorize your requests: Must Play, Play if possible, Play only if requested, and Do not play
Q: What are some of your tips for creating a spectacular event?
-If your venue works well for this, a private last dance at your wedding is the best way to end your reception.
-If appropriate, do an anniversary dance.(AKA a married the longest dance)
Q: Are you seeing any growing trends?
-Less and less bouquet and garter tosses.
-90’s music is still coming in strong!
Q: How long does it usually take a DJ to set up?
In my opinion a DJ should arrive 2.5 hours early to allow ample time for setup and preparation. Extra time is always a good thing. Setup and mic test shouldn’t take more than 1 hour.
Q: What’s your favorite thing you’ve seen at an event?
I did a wedding at the Cordelle in Nashville and a professional breakdancer was a guest. I’d never seen someone do a windmill in person before! Also, crowd surfing at one of my performances at MTSU was a cool high moment.
Q: What’s your “must”? (i.e. must read book, must watch, favorite site, podcast, or experience)
This has nothing to do with Weddings or events, but you must:
Watch the Woodstock documentary on Netflix.
Listen to these podcasts: PHDJ, Stuff You Should Know, Short Wave, and Rivals.
Favorite site: Reddit.com
Experience: Bonnaroo Music and Arts festival
I’m currently reading: Superfans! By Pat Flynn
