It's interesting to me that compensation and talent are sometimes not that closely related.

Around here, restaurants pay about 30% of what corporate and upscale private jobs pay.

Even in the photography business, I used to struggle to get someone to pay $100.00 for a print that cost me about $20.00 to produce. Then, I learned that corporate photography, which, within reason, takes no more ability and is much less enjoyable, pays $2400.00 a day.

I'm no better a player when I play my $500.00 plus jobs for a horse farm than someone who plays a nursing home for $50.00. And, if I could work steadily as a B-3 player in a hardcore jazz club, I'd do it for $50.00 in a minute.

My "sell out" years ago" involved locating the source for the best pay (be it art, graphics, music, photography...whatever) and doing that. And that is something I'm not very proud of.

"Sell out" Russ