Another avenue to consider may be entertainment agencies. Many states require NH’s include entertainment in their budgets. Here, in the metro Phila. area, agencies are aware of this fact, and swoop in on facilities like vultures, and it is a very competitive. In October, I had 18 gigs, 14 at NH’s or ‘over 55’ communities. 13 of the 14 NH gigs were through agencies. I’ve told the agencies that I will only work for $125.00 net (after agency fee). There are times however, an agent will ask if I will do something $115 net or $100 net, usually in a poorer neighborhood or affiliated with a religious denomination - I either accept or reject depending on a whole host of variables. Then again, some of the center city high rise facilities pay $200 for an hour, and they only book through agencies. I think Donny gets some gigs from my agents’ competitors, we sometimes play the same venues (at different times). One of the agents I work with books a chain, and in half of July and all of August I played every Friday at one of the chain’s facilities in Delaware and Eastern Pa. Of course I’d rather book my own gigs and not have to pay the 20% fee, but …
Ciao,
Jerry