Been playing in front of live audiences of all kinds since I was 14 - 15 years old ... played solo, and in duets, combos and bands in accordion competitions (that's right, chas ), and started a RnR band in High School ... played dances, weddings, private parties, with the same 5 guys for 26 years - mostly Friday, Saturday, and Sunday ... many weekend days in the summer I left family members partying poolside at my house as I went off to play a gig - but it NEVER seemed like a second 'job' ...
when I moved to RI, I didn't play 'professionally' for 7 years, then finally got the 'courage' to go out and try to get solo work and have worked pretty steadily since -nowhere near like the days in NY, but it's been enough ... still also do about 6 gigs a year with the guitar player in New Jersey ...