I'm NOT an entertainer. I am a musician with a real believe that, in addition to sounding good, I have an obligation to educate.


Make it? I do one recording job a week that pays $3,000.00 plus. It's a track for av film update for a major truck manufacturer. I could do 3 (two fast foods and a shipping company)a week, but they're 30 hours straight and I couldn't do it for long. In recent years, the film business has exploded, with fancy UTube productions replacing many printed pieces.

I just laugh when I hear kids saying they can't find a $75.00 job playing Jimmy Buffet.

I play one job I've been on for 7 years...$100.00 an hour, as many hours as I'd like (as many hours as they're open). Usually amounts to 25 hours per week.

The point is, be entertaining, but don't sell out.

Do what works for you, but don't EVER look for me to be using background tracks of any kind.


Arrangers are GREAT, in their place. In my case, it's about 25% of the time.

It's more work for less money (sometimes), or recording of sound/music with no audience. That would not sit well with entertainers, particularly when you're approaching 20 hours, with 11 hours to go before the film debuts in NYC, with no room for error, and plant managers, producers and advertising agency people all arguing about changes.

I say draw your line in the sand and stick to your guns.


Russ