Don pretty much nailed it.

I work a large triangle between Cincy/Columbus and Lima Ohio (Which is an hour north of Dayton)...$100.00 is a good wage for many of the NH's.

With regard to using agents...most of the agents around here are also musicians...so I learned very quickly that I was only getting the gigs they didn't want. No thanks...IMO, Agents often inflate the cost of entertainment for venues to the point that they cease using live music.

On a different note, adding additional musicians to your act will only make you LESS desirable to nursing homes because your cost is higher than a solo act's is. So, its cool to add this or that, but if you're trying to establish a client list that keeps you working on a regular basis, stay small as possible. Add the other pieces in for special events for an extra fee...

Bill in Dayton
www.billcorfield.com