To any providers that think it is good practice to deliberately deny reference requests let me be very clear... That's bull shit! Grow up! It is a necessary practice, one that benefits everyone involved! Oh, and when the gent contacts you and requests you give the ref and you push him to schedule you and wait for you to get to town YOU ARE WRONG for that. PERIOD.
I always do my best to immediately give refs out. Even request they call my phone for immediate response and believe me I have yet to suffer for that.