Mark,
Welcome to the business of performing at Senior Venues. I have had the very same experience with many of the places over the last 15 years. It does get tiring and I have often thought about simply not returning to them. Several times I have contacted the manager and explained the frustration of not getting return phone calls - it didn't help. Just today I got a call from a very special AD friend of mine almost in tears because she had to cancel my years bookings due to a budget cut! The business has changed over the last 5 years. Many of the places have been bought out by corps that have no idea how to provide services for the residents. I often see people move from one place to another because prices increased but services did not. One place I lost has decided to do NO entertainment for the residents - they replaced it with physical activities. Go figure. Anyway, hang in there. As many have said there are a lot of the Independent living places everywhere now.

Deane

Thanks for saying that Deane. Now I have to re-think my game plan which was to go there in person, don't even talk to her....just go direct to management with my complaint. Even though I'm fighting mad and don't back off of "stupid people" issues I probably have everything to lose and nothing to gain.


I think I'm the last one to notice this!

Thanks for posting all this info. Either I don't see what's going on out there, or.........I REFUSE to see what's going on out there. It's more ruthless than it's ever been. How can you feel like playing great music in a "ruthless" world?

The people you are playing for are NOT ruthless. They love your music.
Keep that in mind. Most of them can't wait to hear you. Don't punish the ones you are trying to help, just the ones that are so close minded that they can't see the great pleasure you give to their residents. Tread softly and just wait it out. Its the only way to get back in the door.
MEL

This is not a personal issue! This is how people are trying to run their business the best they know how, and sometimes fail. If we would start looking at the good they are doing, and not the few that should be working elsewhere, there would be more love in this thread.

John C.
PS, the only place that I know that is being run perfect is this place. (smile)

Yes, I DO understand the logistics of the whole process. THAT is what I DO keep in mind. The audience. It's the only thing that keeps me going. Especially when I walk into the room and view and feel the emptiness the people have in their lives. Forgot playing for them, they're happy just to have conversations with someone. Today I got to my gig 1/2 early and spent that time talking to the audience before I started playing. They DO really appreciate that.

What burns me out and really ticks me off is the AD's who are mindless, incompetent, unprofessional and selfish...not caring about the entertainment needs of the residents!. I've been playing nursing homes for about 35 years now. My.....how everything has really changed!

Anyhow, the news bulletin!!!

The problem has resolved itself. She telephoned me today with the same script she used last time. "Hello sweetiem, how are you today, etc" like nothing happened. Like I didn't make a dozen calls to her requesting a return call. She booked a date for next month. I played along with it, took the booking and politely got off the phone without mentioning her rudeness and lack of courtesy.

You members are correct...it IS "big business" now and I'm still living in the past...when all the AD's on the circuit heard your name bandied about, booked you in one go, you did the job and actually got paid right afterwards. Most times by cash and only sometimes by check. Them was the good old days.

So what I learned from all the remarks you folks made here is this.

1) it's "big business" and "bottom line" now....no more what's best for the people

2) "let the chips fall where they may." Accept the "erratic" behavior in the field now, and don't waste time trying to correct something that can't be corrected. Just accept "what is," and.......(as many of you have advised)....move on!

The "ringing in your ears" you experienced shortly after your post was the drone of all of us chiming in together after seeing your "never returns my phone calls" We've ALL been there. Running a business owned by a corporation who's home office is a thousand miles away is totally different than a business owned by a family, or individual who's usually if not always there. The latter, unfortunately, is almost non-existent anymore, while the corporation, regardless of whether it's privately or publicly owned, looks primarily (if not only) at the bottom line.....$$$ Guess what category is the easiest to cut?

Some long time ago, I performed for a nearby assisted living facility (privately owned) where the AD told me that she was told by the owner "Who is that guy? That's the kind of music I want for MY PEOPLE! You be sure to get him back here" Of course we soon had more dates scheduled. That joyous scenario does not occur these days.

While there are many reasons why you, or any of us, are sometimes not called back, now days it's usually "all about the money" It's so unfortunate, because we all know how passionate most of the residents are about the music we bring them. Sadly, corporation doesn't know, or doesn't care.

Good luck,
Glenn

OH Glen,
How well you hit the nail on the head! I can' t count the number of places I have played and gotten the same kind of comments from residents - "Now that's our kind of music - when you coming back? And guess what? Maybe never! Go figure.

I am seriously considering hanging it up and doing something else. It has gotten very bad in my area and frankly I am about done messing with it. You send cards, make phone calls, make personal visits - and still do not get the response you should - even if it is go to hell!


Deane

Deane no shame in passing the baton....
Enjoy life

This whole comment page has really been a lesson for me....including Deane and Glenn's input above.

I burned out of playing 4-5 years ago. My heart wasn't in it anymore and so my performances were becoming hum-drum and lacking in meaning and I let my clients slowly drift away. In just a few months I went from 50-60 accounts to the 5-6 accounts I have today.

I didn't quite remember WHY I burned out......NOW I do. It was the tip of the iceberg of everything that was discussed. I "felt" it before I "saw" it. It was the start of the transition of the "good guys" (AD's) to the "bad guys" (synthetic AD's). Suddenly the joy of entertaining was gone because by the time you got to appear in front of your audience, you were drained of the complications that were starting to appear: cancelations, moving your appearance date because of bad scheduling, sob stories from the AD's with inevitable cuts in your pay, massive amounts of paperwork both before and after the job, aides sitting there reading while they're supposed to be keeping order in the room, etc.

The bright spot on the horizon now (for me, at least) is where I live they are building high end senior retirement communities one after the other. And, now it seems to be back to......it's not what the AD's want, it's what the paying residents want for their entertainment. I'm starting to book some of these and playing their magnificent grand pianos that they all have and doing entertaining "shows" now, and.....re-gaining some professional respect again that I used to savor before all musicians became generic.

Reference to Dnj's remark above: I'll never forget what someone told me many years ago. "Would you rather be driving a taxicab on the night shift somewhere in the Bronx or doing what you're doing with music?" The answer doesn't take much figuring out.

My own thought is "The very worst of this job is still better than the best of most other jobs (with the exception of Jeff Bezos)!"

And.......I hear this comment quite frequently: "You are so lucky, getting to do what you like and getting paid for it to boot!" That helps a whole lot in dealing with this overnight change in the business.

A few years ago, I made a comment about not getting booked at a specific facility, even though I was successful in many others.

Someone (can't remember) made this comment: "if you can't handle one rejection with all your success, what does that say about you?"

I was hurt and mad at the time, but it was the best thing I could have heard.

Like Donny said, there are new places opening constantly and you have to make the calls, preferably in person. It works and you always stay busy.

BTW, another Donny special - be as good as you possibly can and you will get the work.