Russ, you must admit that your musical skills and use of an arranger keyboard are far different than the 99.9% of most musicians and arranger keyboard players. We both know an incredible number of highly skilled musicians, but only a handful those that I know generate their entire income performing music.

I can clearly remember when Jerry and Elsa Burns performed at the White House with the Zim Zimerel Orchestra. Everyone was wearing a tux and the band set up on the North Lawn for the concert. The temperature that day was near 100 degrees, and Jerry said everyone in the band was sweating profusely, almost to the point dehydration at the end of the first hour. Jerry and the other band members were paid $75 for the day, and the concert was for 2 hours. On the day that he performed with the best of the best, I worked just 2 hours in 2 air conditioned locations, playing and singing to the seniors, never broke into a sweat, and hauled in $250.

By and large, most of the highly trained musicians I've met during the years I worked the senior circuit, most had other jobs, engineers, physicians, attorneys, etc... Granted, they were really great musicians, far more musically talented than myself, a self trained musician, but it was their day job that paid the bills.

It's the same in your case, however, as a musical writer/producer/video editor, etc..., music is your full-time day job, and you operate it as a full-time business person.

I am proud to call you my friend, Russ, even though we do not agree on a few topics.

All the best,

Gary