Restaurant jobs around here pay $150.00...tops.
I've been making that for about 15 years now...no raises. Two of the long-time gigs have been compromised by people who have come in and offered to play for 1/2...$75.00. That is now the rate at one of the places my friend George Gentry worked for years for $150.00. I still get $150.00 there, but that's because, in this "one horse" town, I'm sort of the one people go to for image. Owners who pay others less say I'm worth more because of reputation and recognition factors (notice they say nothing about talent).

This means the rates at two of the top venues are now where they were in 1980.

Owners consider the music a background function and really don't want people staying around after they dine. In fact, I'm often asked to break early to turn the "sitters".

Some of these players are not worth $75.00 in another setting. Most of the owners of the regular places I play tell me there are 10 plus people a week in the door begging for work.

We should set our price, but be careful that we don't work only on price. A couple of half-assed non-players around here have ruined the market, money-wise. They embarass themselves on several levels.

First, they beg for the work. Next, They're not respected by the real players in the market because their lack of ability and last, they have compromisede the pay scale.

These guys are bottom feeders in my opinion. They never can keep a job, but make things difficult for others. Kind of like a pimple on your butt. Customers complain, but they hang around for years just irritating everyone.

They cause me no problems but are rough to deal with for talented people trying to break into the market.

I limit my work in restaurants to just enough to keep myself out there for better paying private functions. When I play 4 nights on a patio in the summer, my income actually goes down significantly. But, if I start on the patio on May 1st, I have my 250 private jobs for the year booked by around June 15. Most now are repeat business.

That's the reality here in Lexington.


Russ