Played a NH today that is 'tied into' Assisted Living quarters ... to be honest, most of the time I can't tell what residents I am playing for ... in today's audience no one was in a bed - which I have seen on some occasions - and very few were even in wheelchairs ... most used walkers and quite a few were totally ambulatory ...
The staff at this place REALLY seems to care for the residents ... As I said in another thread, the AD sets themes for the afternoon 'tea', which usually consists of snacks/wine/dessert and coffee ... today's theme was Country/Western and the staff and volunteers were dressed for the occasion, wearing cowboy boots, jeans, western style shirts, etc. ... many wore cowboy hats of various styles and they had a lot of 'straw' cowboy hats, Sheriff badges, etc. for the residents ...
I played all country tunes - only strayed from the "Country" style bank to use a couple of "Unplugged" styles - and had them clapping hands, singing along and some even dancing ... It was a real nice party - I really didn't want to stop playing ...

I am thinking of getting my name on the list for this place for when the time comes ...

Speaking of not wanting to stop playing, do any of you guys really play for just the 1 hour you are hired for? ... or do you find yourselves running over 10 - 15 minutes or so?
I realize some of you can't 'run over' because you are running to the next one, but for the rest of you ??? ...

PS: The KORG sounded great ...

Most of the time, I run over 15 to 25 minutes, but I always ask the AD if that's OK. Most say "Play as long as you want - they love you and it doesn't cost us any more money if you play longer."

If you are playing in a dining room, there are often time constraints because the staff has to get the room ready for the next meal. If you're playing in an activities room, which is often the case, it's usually not a problem. I'm an old fart, so more often than not, I'm having as much or more fun than they are. It all depends on the circumstances.

As for the comparison between Assisted Living and Nursing Home facilities, most of the residents in the Assisted Living facilities here are somewhat ambulatory and able to get around with walkers or canes. Very few are in wheel chairs, and none are in beds. The nursing home residents are often brought to the activities rooms in wheel chairs, and some are in wheeled recliners. Never had any in beds.

Tony, I've said this many times, but I'll say it again - the Assisted Living, Nursing Home, senior center and retirement community circuit is the best, and most rewarding job I've ever had in my life. Sometimes it can be hard work, but most of the time the audiences are wonderful people that have just outlived their bodies. They love the music, they love to have fun, they're grateful, and the pay is one Hell of a lot better than it ever was when I was doing the nite-clubs, restaurants, country clubs, and even private parties.

Good luck, and I sincerely hope you get into this aspect of entertainment before you get too old to lug the gear around.

Gary

Gary, I think you're the highest paid nursing home entertainer of the whole forum here, and I'm not jealous, I'm glad for you friend.I'm sure the folks out here get the same benefits ($)from the government as the folks who run these type places where you are.
When I started back playing, I tried charging $100 for 1 hr. Didn't get a gig. One of the entertainers told me the going rate was $50. I started charging $50 and started getting some gigs. I played for $50 ever since. Then last year I notified them that I would be charging $65 and out of maybe 8 or 10 , only two have had me play since then.

Now I play a little for a caterer who lets me use her kitchen for a commissary while working my Hot Dog Cart. At least I only play a couple of times a month and don't have to worry about a $300-$400 a month commissary bill. I don't even take the sax out anymore. I gave up on it. Too much work and time trying to keep the chops up to get a decent sound.

Gary ... I am pretty well into the NH/AL scene ... granted, I don't do as many as you and some other folks here, but some of that is MY choice ... just other things I like to do also before I get too old ...
And you are right - they are the MOST appreciative audiences ...

brick - the going rate here in RI is $85 to $100 for an hour at a NH/AL facility ... a 'steady' gig at a CC/restaurant/ gets $150 to $200 for a 3 hour gig - not too many hire for 4 hours around here - that 'early to bed ...' mentality ... private parties - depends on the type of party - anywhere from $100 to $200 an hour ... I haven't played a club - nor do I expect to - in so many years, I have NO idea what they are paying ...
One guy I know sings, plays flute and saxes, and some keyboard, with backing tracks and throws in some DJing and when he does a private party he is making $800 to $1000 for 4 hours ...

Tony,
You think he understands and appreciates it?
Location, location, location does not only apply to real estate, but it also applies to making a living.

I just couldn't understand it before. B eing in the right place at the right time.

$150-200.00 per three hour night is standard around here for restaurant/lounge work. I can't remember when I didn't work at least four nights a week at that rate. That's about $37500.00 a year.

The big plus is the extras. At the main venue I play-summers, I start May 1. By the end of May, I have my calendar filled with the private (mostly repeat)jobs I do...about 200. These are at $100.00 per hour for a single. Jobs requiring bigger groups are billed accordingly.

Then, I ALWAYS play in places where corporate leaders and community people who would be in the market for films, collateral material...all the stuff I do in the daytime. One "hit" usually generates at least $100,000.00 per year, hopefully for many years. I always get a couple of these a year.

Looking at the broad spectrum of customer contact on multiple levels, playing little restaurant jobs "ain't too bad".


Russ

boo ... He does appreciate because like many on this forum, he has been able to make his living making music ... He also 'pounds the pavement' to get gigs, so he knows they don't just come to you ...

Man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! $%#@*&^)%#$@^%$
Russ peeves me off more than anybody else on the forum because he says he really can't carry a tune in a bucket. And he doesn't claim to be an entertainer and everybody in the know, knows entertains make a heck of alot more money than any musician, and that's a fact.

Man Russ, with me and you it's a love, hate relationship. ^#@%$%^%%@@$$@$@$@$@%$##%&$#$
Ha ha and LOL. Buddy!

Hey, Russ sings his tail off, my friend. He is just modest.
DonM

In this part of the world, the greater Baltimore Metropolitan Area, the highest paying restaurants in Baltimore's Inner Harbor pay $100 for a 4-hour job Monday through Thursday, $150 for Friday and Saturday, and Friday is usually a 5-hour job, $100 for Sunday. Big Deal!

I just left the marina where my son keeps his boat, where we also had dinner. There was a "Have Guitar Will Travel" guy there with a Peavey 600-watt stereo amp, 4 speakers on poles, and a beat up old acoustic guitar rigged with a pick-up. He was singing through what appeared to be a Shure SM-58, and had a half-dozen loose-leaf binders sitting on a chair next to him. When he was on a break, which was shortly after we arrived, I talked with him. He was paid $75 to do 3 hours outdoors. To be perfectly honest, he was overpaid. He sounded like crap, his dead time between songs was horrendous, and he couldn't carry a tune in a 5-gallon bucket. He said the weekend rate was $100 for 4 hours, and the rate was the same for a duo.

So, it appears that Captain Russ has a better paying nite club and restaurant market than we have here in the Mid-Atlantic region. It may be a bit better in central and northern New Jersey, but no one can afford to live there on an entertainer's salary.

Cheers,

Gary

Gary, those are low rates...We are getting better rates here...mostly South Jersey..has the largest work venues..

Our Band gets $600- $1,200 for a 4 hour gig...depending if it is a multi night (steady) or a one nighter..We are a trio..

Solo acts get $250- $400 a night..

The bad thing for me..travel 3 or 4 hours on the road...

Senior venues, I have been getting $125-$150 for an hour with an average driving time of 1 hour total (both ways)..

House piano gigs have been averaging a solo pianist $350 for 3 hours..on customer's piano..

Fran, the rates are much better in the Washington, DC clubs, but that would translate to a 4 hour round trip drive, which I no longer am willing to undertake in the nation's most congested traffic and one of the most dangerous cities.

Even where you perform, the hourly rate is much better at the NH circuit, and the drive time is far less, thus increasing the bottom line even more. In my case, I have several locations within 10 minutes drive time, most less than 5 miles from home. And, within the next few months, at least 3 more will be opening, again within less than 5 miles of home.

The best deal, it seems, is the NH/assisted living/retirement community circuit. The jobs are steady, the drive time is much less, and the hourly rate is highest. Now that's a great combination, especially when coupled with the other benefits.

Gary

It National Nursing Home Week....
Whew it never ends this week...$$$$$$$$$$$$$

I guess my point here would be, there are ways to make a really good living ($100,000.00, plus annually) by playing smarter, not necessarily better.


I wouldn't normally touch a $150.00 three hour job,...BUT if that three hour job landed a client who would spend $100,000.00 plus annually for multiple years, HELL YES!

Luckily, I get the high visibility jobs and work hard to turn them into day work for my company.

In a perfect world, I would not choose to play a single. Music is best for me when played with other musicians.

But this is what works for me. While music is a vital part of my life, it isn't everything. As far as work is concerned, I like writing copy and film production every bit as much. And the great thing about film is there are requirements for audio, and I have the advantage there, at least in this market.

Advice? Look beyond the nursing homes, bars and local restaurants. There are all kinds of great paying projects out there, if you just put your mind (and skills) to it!

And today, in most creative fields, it's easy to find satisfying, good paying projects outside your hometown (all around the world, actually).

I'm currently working on films for companies in Australia, Italy and India. My biggest client in the US is outside of Atlanta. I never see the clients, and the bills are paid via wire transfer.

The downside is, in large part, I've "sold out". Instead of working my ass off to perfect my craft, I went at it in reverse. I looked at what generates the reliable returns and concentrate on being able to do that...whatever it is.

I'm not proud of that.

Russ

Russ we ALL have to sell out to make a living in some way. Years ago I used to play in a band fulltime opening for major acts like INXS and The Divynyls. The problem was we weren't making much money. But when we rehearsed we would take our breaks at the local cafe and drink coffee and play video games. At the time I was teaching myself how to program a computer and realized I could make those video games. Back then music was my living and video games were my hobby. I switched them and made video games my living and playing music my hobby. So we all sell out in some way. But as long as we continue to play music the sacrifice is worth it. Making a good living is the bottom line.

Russ...you might not be "proud of that," but I thought it was brilliant. A great recipe for "re-inventing" yourself for practical reasons.

You reminded me of something very important that happened to me. Around 1995 I became a disc jockey doing live music as a sideline for the next 15 years. Up until then, being a "purist" I fought against the growing trend for years....insisting to everyone AND myself that I'm not going to compromise myself. That I was a musician.......period!

Then someone said to me: "Don't you realize that if you "pay the bills" as a disc jockey, it free's you up to play live. Additionally, you can pick and choose your live jobs and play the music you enjoy playing.

That's just what I did.....studying DJ-ing the same way I studied music. The interesting thing was I became a better musician by becoming a better DJ!

So maybe "what generates the reliable returns" is also what helps you to grow in different ways!

That's a great post you did......I got a lot out of it!

One of the things about considering a lifetime in music is, you have to be flexible. That's a whole lifetime you are talking about, in a society that in almost any other industry, a lifetime means radical change. How many businesses are unchanged over a 40-50 year span?

Expecting to be able to do what you enjoyed in your youth, or mid years as you get older, and music changes, tastes change, social life changes is simply unrealistic. The way to survive it all is to not get tied to styles, or forms of presentation. The bottom line is, if making music nowadays doesn't excite you any more, how much of your love of the job is tied to doing what you did as a younger man (or woman!), and how much is tied to making MUSIC? Music changes. It has always changed, always will, and anyone that goes in expecting things to stay the same simply hasn't really learned the lessons of history.

Diki,

You forgot about the wages - they haven't changed much during the past 50 years for the musician/entertainers.

Gary

DIKI......you are, without a doubt, the "wisest" of all the "wise oracles." You couldn't have laid this out more clearly!
You need to hang a shingle outside your door that says: "MUSIC DOCTOR"