Actually, the intent of my post was not to learn how often one, as a professional musician, would work for free. But how much the passion of entertaining has diminished over time... considering all the negatives in the business. Thus the question, would you do it if not for the good $$$?

I agree, it's hard to match the reward, appreciation, and pure rush of performing live... and getting paid to boot! I think it's great and I love it. BUT... just to play the devil's advocate...

1. When you add up all the frustration and time spent - buying, learning, replacing, reparing equipment - learning new material - making contacts, contracts and CDs... it's not much above minimum wage?!

2. Having to deal with drunks and sometimes idiot owners or managers, if you're doing the club gigs.

3. The hopeless encounter with the wife and/or girlfriend who simply can't understand why you have to spend so much time on music!

Again, I'm pro music and live performing, and these observations are only for the sake of argument. They can be small pototoes or major hurdles, depending on one's priorities and tolerance. But they are the reality of the music business.

Then again, I know guys who spend more time on golf than most of us do on music. There's a herd of them in my back yard every day. They're paying big bucks for all their frustration... and I know I'm having more fun than most of them.