This MY VIEW.
Anything you wish to change or improve must be done by changing what you are doing. Its rare that anyone succeeds in changing another whatever. When you enter into your hurts and mistreatments the problem does not improve, it gets darker.

Please take what am saying as MY WAY of helping, John C.

Gary,
yes, I addressed those card to the ADs and yes, I did followup calls. The point I was trying to make here is there are many of these places that have changed ownership and the new owners don't give a damn about the residents - only the bottom line. Along with this there are folks who are willing to play for $40.00 or $50.00 an hour! I was shocked when I was offered gigs on my call backs at prices well under my normal fee. Sorry, not me!

Gary, I have never made a living playing these gigs but I do have a limit on what I will play for..

Bruno,
This is not about me but about what has happened to the market in my area the last 18 months
If I never play another gig I would certainly miss it but it would not be the end of the world. What disturbs me is the fact these places are charging enormous amounts to live there and the upper level management could care less about the residents.

In the past 10 years I have had nearly 150 of these venues as clients and have had great relationships with all of them. Slowly a lot of them would call me and let me know they could not meet my price anymore-even though they were at 90+ percent full. The story was always the same - it had NOTHING to do with me or how I play or what I play - simply a matter of deeply reduced budgets for the ADs.

Deane

It wouldn't matter if you were Frank Sinatra risen from the grave, they won't pay you enough here. And too many well-meaning people are doing it for free, "for the old folks".
A lot of them are very good, just thinking they are doing the right thing.

Eventually FREE will be the new norm for gigs as it slowly dwindles down. Business can't resist FREE anything in this economy.
Luckily for retired players the money is secondary and just playing out anywhere becomes just a personal pleasure of sorts.
All good things come to an end. It's a doggy dog world.

I must say this thread is very discouraging. I have been working on getting back into gigging and was thinking the senior citizen homes would be the way to go for someone 75 years old. I played out full time back in the 70's before going back into the Army where I spent the next 11 years. Retired in 92 and was to fat and to old to make it as a rock musician, so played some in country bands at the service clubs in the area. About a year ago I picked up on this whole senior citizen circuit thing and started working on reassembling equipment and building a book of tunes. Got delayed a bit with a couple of trips to the hospital for some broken ribs and a serious bought with the flu but have gotten back at it again. Then I read your comments here and I wonder am I beating a dead horse by following this path.

I know I can go back to working the service and animal clubs but typical pay in this area is $50.00 for a 3 hour gig. Fact is, this is what I was making 40 years ago! With the tax situation one has to pay out 25% in federal, 15% in FICA, & 10% state. That's 50%! The $50 turns into $25 or $8.33 @hour and that's not counting the time and cost to get there, set up & tear down.

So the question is, what to do? How does one make any kind of a living in this marketplace today? What other areas should I be looking at for a income stream from my music? Starting all over isn't going to be easy, I know but I'm still a dreamer so I really want to persue this. Suggestions and comments are most appreciated.

Deane, I do understand. There is a long list of things that are changing, and not for the better. I’m doing my best to stay positive, that’s why I post good deeds, or nice happenings. I got lost in trying to get my Kn7000 to work, I had plans and dreams. When I realized that I was losing my positive a gave it to a repair man and turned off the subject.

Deane, this my way, time is short and I turn from the negatives of this world, they rob me of my joy and contentment.

My best to you, John C.

Each part of the country is different. Nursing homes may be better in some areas. I always found it better to go to small towns and avoid the big ones.

ekurburski,

As Don alluded, it really is dependent on the market in your area which you would have to investigate. In my area, I finally gave up because it is a very small market here and really not worth it when you consider all the other hassles such as working with ADs who look like they are 12 years old and change every other time you play a place. I have a friend who is still doing it and he reports a similar experience to Deane, that is the nursing homes are cutting back more all the time. But if you really want to pursue it and there are enough venues in your area it might work out.

Please don't let my experience discourage you. I would say though, that anyone doing it at this point has to "have a calling" and do it mostly for the love of doing it rather than the profit.

Well Don, as you are well aware, I am in a small town area. When I was traveling doing gun shows I used to tell folks I was 2 hours from the closest interstate. Remember when the phrase "the interstate internet" was used to describe high speed internet? I used to say we weren't on the interstate internet but on the gravel road. So maybe there's some hope for me in this area.

You got it!