Diki,

Nursing homes, assisted living centers, retirement communities, etc., pay from $100 to $125 an hour, and a few pay $150 an hour in this part of the world. That's one heck of a lot more than the average nite-club, bar and upscale restaurant pay in most areas of the U.S.. Those of us that have been in this business for a considerable number of years are more than happy to give the smoke-filled, low-paying bars, etc.. to the youngsters that don't mind working all night for the same amount of money we get for an hours work. And, the referals from the nursing homes for high paying private parties is outstanding.

We have a great group of performers in the mid-Atlantic region, many of which are more than willing to help each other out when things go awry. We frequently refer each other to new venues, and have no problem loaning our backup equipment to friends in need. Backup gear is very important to those of us who perform daily for a living. Just think of how much money you would loose if your keyboard was sitting in a repair facility for 6 weeks or more, then the cost of a backup seems miniscule.

Jim is an excellent performer, can really make his sax wail, and his keyboard skills are second to none. I am proud to have him as a friend.

Cheers,

Gary

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Travlin' Easy