You hit the nail on the head, Bill. The VFWs and American Legions here all pay for entertainment. When I stopped playing at the American Legion in Havre de Grace, MD about 12 years ago, they were paying me $175 for a four-hour Friday night gig in the lounge. I played there every Friday for 7 years. My counterpart across the river at the VFW was getting the same pay for Friday night there. We would often get together before the jobs at a nearby waterfront restaurant and help each other out with tips on new locations to play. It was very beneficial for both of us.

Both locations are 100 percent KJs now, the audiences amount to about a dozen followers who all bring their own Karaoke CDs and sing the same songs every week. According to some of the lounge customers I come across lately, the lounges at both locations are pretty much empty, and the American Legion at Havre de Grace is about to close down for good. Gee, I wonder why? Ironically, I got a call from the VFW across the river a few months ago to see if I could possibly do some Friday or Saturday evenings for them. I said sure, but I don't know if you can afford my rate, which is $125 an hour. I thought the lady manager would swallow the phone. She said they only pay $175 for the job. No wonder the only thing they can attract is amateur KJs, and from what I've heard, they do the job for $100 for a 4 hour nite.

Cheers,

Gary