I used to think Hell was being kidnapped by pirates and thrown into the Bermuda Triangle without a life jacket, or It was a place where Lucifer impaled you on his trident and threw you into the flames on a rotisserie stick until you were well done and then repeated over and over again like Groundhog Day for eternity.

Well, that’s all changed. Hell is being locked into a room with a brigade of Activity Directors, each one with no or very little experience, and each one using you like a pin ball in a pin ball machine!

Enough of the funnies. How many of you, who are doing senior places, are experiencing increasing “difficulties” with Activity Directors?

I don’t think I’ve ever seen it this bad in my whole playing career. Been doing nursing home by day since the 80s. I don’t think any of them collectively have the intelligence of a Zip code in Kansas City. That’s about the nicest thing I can say about them.

You’ve got to remember, I’ve been doing these places for a long time now. The changes I’ve seen are beyond imagination. You’ve also got to remember where I live in the Northeast it may be unique (hopefully).

You can tell I’ve had more negative experiences piling up in my resume of Senior playing places.

On the plus side, they’re building new ones almost daily like Chinese restaurants…..and each one is bigger than the previous. They’re starting to look like palaces, so big you could fit Disneyworld and Disneyland both into any one of them!

On the negative side, the bigger the facility the less use of responsible, mature, experienced people are on the payrolls. And that includes musicians. It’s cost-cutting to the extreme.

Activity directors……..they’re like kids, and if they’re adults, they act like kids. They seem to come and go. And, personally, I wish they would all go and leave us alone to do what we do best…….entertain the people.

It’s pretty obvious I’ve had more bad encounters with AD’s that I don’t even want to think about right now.

If I was not a good performer, I might think more liberally about AD’s, but I’m a complete professional, doing professional performances, who is not used to being abused and treated like an amateur. The audience always asks when I’m returning. I feel like saying to them “when their Royal Highness” decrees that I return and that it’s not how well-entertained you folks are, it’s.....does the location have an adequate AD who knows what the heck they’re doing.

So, back to my question. How many of you are noticing the competency of AD’s nowadays is questionable at best and a total mish-mash at worst? I’m really thinking about moving from this Circus of Horrors in this part of the country that seems to host all the facilities that are so “workplace challenged" that other states don’t want them and they ship them here. I like to think I’m not the only one going through this.

Mark

I've said it before and I'll say it again. I did it for nine years and your experience mirrors mine. The term "generation gap" does not describe the situation adequately. If I ever get back in it, it will be after my wife retires so she can deal with them-I won't do it.

It's the whole business scene. Hiring the cheapest help is the norm and it's hard to keep expierenced people. I too am tired of dealing with people who know little or nothing about your craft. Recently did a party and had to lay out the schedule to the "coordinator" who stood there with her IPad and a blank stare.
If you love playing you keep trudging on and try not to let it all bother you too much.
Thank God I never had to depend on the music business for my livelihood. My greatest respect goes to those who can do it but I would of burned out years ago.
Just accept it for what it is.

I really never had many problems with the 52 activity directors I deal with every month. However, one of the things I learned early on was I had to make life easy for them - make it so they really didn't have to do anything more than accept my invoice for the job and turn it in to the disbursement office. I got along very well with all of them, and in all the years I worked with them, only had a problem with one that I can recall.

The key to my success was:

1. I booked the entire next year's monthly performances every October. They got a contract, a confirmation of performance letter, a free wall calendar and a free pen, both with my name and contact information on it.

2. I always arrived 1/2-hour early for every job, even though my setup time was just 7 minutes at most. This gave me time to visit with the residents and ask if they had any special songs they wished me to perform. Many of these facilities have resident councils, and they are often the folks that determine whether you get to come back every month.

3. I kept in constant contact with all my ADs by sending them thank you post cards, post cards about upcoming holidays, etc... This usually resulted in me booking additional jobs at those facilities, many of which were corporate parties where the residents and visiting family members were on hand. A 3-hour corporate party paid as much as $500 and never lower than $400 for the event. Those parties frequently led to private parties, often when one of the residents had a birthday or anniversary, and more often than not, they were 2 hour parties, which paid $250 and the tab was paid by the families. What's not to like about this.

4. I got to know many of the residents on a first name basis. They were wonderful individuals, and more often than not, professionals who were retired lawyers, business people, doctors, real estate investors, etc... When they passed away, I frequently was asked to attend their viewing and funerals by their relatives, and sometimes the AD. I even met a few retired musicians from the Baltimore Philharmonic Orchestra, and they loved what I played and sang.

5. I learned from several individuals on this forum how to keep folks on a dance floor, and what kind of music to perform, which is key to not only landing those jobs, but also key to getting along with the ADs. The young ladies I worked with, some as young as 25 years of age, were in tune with their audiences. They knew what those residents enjoyed hearing, and so did I. I don't know how many times I have posted this, but it bears repeating. Keep in mind that the audiences in the assisted living facilities and retirement communities are not much older than I am, and some were younger than myself. (Yeah, I'm that old, but not ready for assisted living, yet!) They enjoy the music that was around when they were 25 to 35 years of age, an era when the foremost thing on their minds was getting drunk and getting laid - in that order. After age 35, they really didn't have much time for music, mainly because they were too busy trying to make enough money to support a house and car payment, support their growing families and salt some money in the bank for putting the kids through college and even a few bucks for their inevitable retirement years. So, from age 35 to 65, music was probably the last thing on their minds. Consequently, if they are my age, 77, the songs from the late 1950s through the early 1980s is what they grew up with - those are the songs you should be concentrating on.

And, don't forget some of the more modern songs, especially show tunes, they enjoy them too. Music from Phantom Of The Opera, Cats, etc... always go over well, both with the ADs and residents.

I made life so easy for my ADs that most of the time, they didn't even check to see if I showed up for the job. They knew I was going to be there ahead of time, they knew they could rely on me to make the audiences happy, and knew that more often than not, I would even play a few extra songs if I didn't have another job an hour after that one ended. I always had fun, the audiences always had fun, and the ADs life was made a lot easier by what I did.

Hope this helps, Mark,

Gary

Mark,

It is the same everywhere, I do believe. It's a very difficult business, for sure. I look at it this way. Just make as many calls as you can (sales) and eventually you will find a good enough base that really appreciates your talent. The musical chairs of ADs is the norm.

Like Donny said, be as good as you can so they can't ignore you (or something like that lol).

My earnings have increased dramatically when I started dumping the facilities that really could care less about their people.

Fortunately, there are many new places that continue to pop up. If a really good musician/entertainer can't stayed employed nowadays, something else is wrong.

Hi Gary.......I appreciate your taking the time to write this all out, but I suspect we’re living in two different hemispheres. In my area the people are uncivilized savages and I’m thinking in your area they’ve probably all gone to “charm school.”

I’m half kidding and half serious. It’s a free-for-all where I live. A gold mine of nursing homes but with AD’s who either abuse or exploit their power and generally it’s both. I have the disadvantage of having gone down this path for 30 years so I can’t help but compare what it used to be like as to how it is now and I’m having a hard time adjusting.

It’s not about getting along with them, (I get along with most everyone). it’s that they’re incompetent……no…….I meant INCOMPETENT. They couldn’t run a nursery school much less a palatial senior facility. What’s happening here is that it’s no longer small clubhouse size places. These places now are like country homes…….massive and consequently impersonal. The more massive, the more it’s like a business, and the more out-of-touch everyone is with each other, Various departments that are no longer integrated with each other.

As for the paraphernalia you might want to send, you could send each one a BMW. They’ll take it and forget within 24 hours who gave it to them.

I say this, not egotistically, I do exactly what you do. Book the job, FAX an immediate confirmation, a week before the job send another “FAX of confirmation,” show up an hour early and ready to play, wander among the residents beforehand doing small talk, start on time and go overtime sometimes, give them a show that leaves them begging for more, go home and immediately FAX the invoice, etc. In other words, show the AD how dependable and responsible and musically entertaining I am.

None of that matters any more. You’re forgotten as soon as you walk out that door. And who is getting the work now? Those who go out for nothing or minimum wages……volunteers, high school jazz bands, retirees, relatives and friends of the AD’s, members of bands who went solo, and…..the worst of all…..amateur musicians who are stars in their own minds, etc. etc. etc.

Well, I’m glad you had me write this out. I was just thinking this morning how times have changed and I’m not changing with the times. It’s clearly not how good you are anymore. No one really cares about good entertainment that they don’t mind paying for because they care about the residents. It’s now big business cost-cutting wherever they can and about personnel in each of these joints not giving a hoot about anything but themselves and their paycheck. I don’t feel bad for me as much as I feel bad for the residents on the receiving end of some of the non-entertaining entertainers that are doing the circuit now.

So, I agree with you about your sales strategy under normal conditions and maybe living in a more sophisticated area. My state has deteriorated to the equivalent of a third world country. It’s called survival of the fittest around here.

Anyhow, I’m seriously considering moving now. I was going to post eventually about who’s living in other parts of the States (or other countries) and how it is for THEM wherever they are. I’m starting to see the handwriting on the wall about how the music scene is changing rapidly. If I could find a way to live in Europe, I’d do it in a flash. People just love music there, and you’re treated with dignity and respect. And you even get paid!

Almost forgot to give credit where it’s due. The few long-time accounts that I kept are manned by the finest of the fine. And the common denominator is none of them are kids. All professional adults who know their stuff.

I’ve often wondered how you type so well. Is it you or Dragon?

Mark

And Zuki........you're response here also sobered me up too.

a) "The musical chairs of ADs is the norm."
ME: The norm....that's what it's come down to and I'm the last one to recognize reality. That was a good label you gave it.

b) “Donny said, be as good as you can so they can't ignore you.

ME: That would apply in the old days, not present conditions.

c) “My earnings have increased dramatically when I started dumping the facilities that really could care less about their people.”
ME: Zuki, that was really good…….no…..great. Dump the phonies and go where you’re appreciated. There’s your key right there. It’s like how they do motivational talking: unclutter your brain so the good and positive thoughts can come in. Same with gigs…..keep the positive ones and stop dragging yourself down with places that “drag you down.” That’s one of the basics of motivational thinking. And THAT is exactly what I’m going to do if I stay in the game. So, I guess, in a way, Donny is right!

Mark

I'd like to say "I gave up trying to please everyone", but that is not the case.

I constantly try to please my clients by working on new material, polishing my arrangements, having beautiful sounding equipment and maintaining a professional image.

What I've finally realized is no matter how hard I try or what I do, I will never satisfy the "tin ears" out there. When it sank in that it is not my problem, I had peace within.

It still boils down to mojo........just like any sales job (which I've done my entire life). As a salesman and sales manager, it is a relentless task to beat the competition. Same in this musical journey.

This business is like golf. You play and get acceptance from the folks and get rejected by an idiot. Then comes the next job where they think you're Elvis and book you on out - like parring the 18th - keeps you coming back.

In the end - it's the love we have for what we do and I will never find that outside of music - I need to persevere.

Mark, Jim hit the nail on the head. Dump those jobs where you are not appreciated. I guess I've been very fortunate in I rarely ran into an incompetent AD, but I'm sure they exist around here as well as your part of the country. Ironically, I ran in to more nasties when I was performing the nite club/restaurant circuit. If you showed up and there was a blizzard they would blame the entertainer because no one showed up to dine that night.

One of the reasons I'm able to write with a fair degree of communicative skill is because many years ago I was a freelance outdoor writer for 25 publications, including the Washington Post, Baltimore Sunpapers, York Dispatch, Outdoor Life, Sports Afield, Field and Stream, Saltwater Sportsman, and a host of smaller publications. During that time, music was a weekend gig, but when the internet forced many of those publications out of business, or made them cut back on the number of articles they purchased, I decided to switch to full time musical entertainment. I quickly determined that there was no money to be made in the nite clubs and restaurants, which in Baltimore, which is another third world country, they pay the same as they did 50 years ago. Top pay for a single there is still $100 for weeknights and $150 for Friday and Saturday. Most do not have entertainment on Sunday.

Mark, I sincerely hope you stay in the field of musical entertainment because there are a lot of audiences out there that you bring a modicum of joy into their lives and transport them back to a time when their world was far more enjoyable. As Jim (Zuki) said, maybe it's time to be more selective.

Good luck,

Gary