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Outdoor Event

Acoustic music for corporate events in Raleigh, Durham, and RTP

I play welcome receptions, client appreciation dinners, office parties, and retreats for companies across the Triangle and North Carolina. I'm there to serve your event, not to compete with it. The music should help people talk, relax, and enjoy the evening you planned.

The kinds of events I play

  • Welcome receptions and networking hours at hotels and conference centers

  • Client appreciation and leadership dinners

  • Office parties and open houses

  • Awards dinners and company celebrations

  • Multi-day retreats, where I can cover more than one evening

How I work with your run of show

Before the event, I ask what matters most to you about the evening, who's attending, and where the music fits in your program. On the day, I follow your timeline. Easy background music while people arrive and talk, something a little warmer once dinner is underway, and a stop on cue for remarks or awards. If the room is ready for familiar songs later in the night, I'll read that. If it isn't, I won't push it.

Recent corporate work

I've played an office party in Cary for about 150 guests, corporate groups at Pinehurst Resort including Blue Cross Blue Shield of South Carolina and the Titleist Invitational, an executive holiday party for the same company three years running, and events at the World Golf Hall of Fame. I work directly with companies, and I also work with event production companies and agencies like East Coast Entertainment.

What you won't have to worry about

I arrive about two hours early and I'm set up and sound-checked before your first guest walks in. I bring my own sound system, so there's no extra AV line item. I play without breaks, and a looper covers the seconds between songs, so the room never goes quiet. Backup power, cables, and a second mic live in my car for every event. I dress for your room. The goal is simple: once the night starts, you shouldn't have to think about the music at all.

Send me your date, venue, and a rough idea of the program, and I'll reply the same day with how I'd approach it and a quote.

©2026 by John Downing Music

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