Whenever my mom begins a sentence with “What in the name of God…” then you know she’s about to let you know you’ve done something that makes you look like an idiot. (Or that you’re wearing something that creates roughly the same effect.)
Which is why the other night on the phone when she said, “What in the name of God are you doing flying to San Francisco for one show?” I had to remind her that I’ve been doing things differently for years now.
Musicians, Tours and Money
Several years ago, Steve Seskin and I were coaching each other re-design our careers. He wanted to cut back on his trips to Nashville for co-writing, and I had decided to say no to any show that wasn’t an “absolute yes.” (This meant that the show had to pay me well, and that I had to like the venue.) Steve thought mine was a great idea, but wasn’t sure it would work, seeing as how singer-songwriters seem to play anywhere for almost nothing. As he loves to say, “The problem isn’t that the promoter calls a singer-songwriter and says “Hey we’ll pay you $100 if you drive 4 hours out of your way and back!” The problem is that the singer-songwriter actually says, “Hold on! Let me go get my calendar and see if I’m available!”
I didn’t have a choice, though. I was getting way too tired on the road, and I was miserable. If I believe that art is a service profession (which I do), then I wasn’t serving anybody by exhausting myself from touring 225 days each year. So, I started to pick and choose only those shows that I loved and/or that paid me well. And I love the Freight & Salvage in Berkeley, CA.
It’s weird though. Whenever I talk about this career approach to other songwriters and musicians, they look at me like I’m Leona Helmsley.
I know public speakers who won’t go anywhere for less than $5000, $15,000, and $35,000 as they move up the ladders of their profession. And I know brilliant musicians who have been gigging for their entire lives, who have won Grammy awards, and who still drive across three states to make $350. I know other musicians who get so nervous about having a Friday night off that they’ll gig anywhere – ANYWHERE – to make sure that this doesn’t happen. (Do you ever see a public speaker freak out cuz he’s on the road and has a Wednesday afternoon off?)
Here’s what I have always believed: I believe that no matter where you’re playing and for how many, that there’s a gift in the evening. Sometimes the gift is for someone else, and you won’t even know it. Maybe your music helps them stay clean one more day. Maybe you inspire them to begin painting again. Or, maybe some odd little gift comes outta nowhere and you get a guitar endorsement. There’s a great mystery and joy in any performance. Show up and shine no matter what.
Here’s what I no longer believe: I no longer believe that your art comes before your sanity, your health, or your happiness. Work hard, but don’t hurt yourself.
p.s. – Please join me for my one and only show in the Bay Area! I’ll be performing in Berkeley, CA at the Freight & Salvage this SATURDAY NIGHT, SEPTEMBER 22 at 8pm.
p.p.s – The cartoon is by the inimitable Hugh MacLeod at gapingvoid.com. Go there. Laugh much.
Marilyn
“I know brilliant musicians who have been gigging for their entire lives, who have won Grammy awards, and who still drive across three states to make $350.” HA! So do I… More power to ya! (My mate’s a musician.) I’ll catch you next time you head our way…
Christine DeCamp
Christine–I love reading your blog…found you through Alyson’s ArtBizCoach.com site. I am a painter & I do a lot of art & craft shows. It can be pretty grueling. My friend and fellow artist Lin said–“From now on,I am only going to do shows that are fun”. Sometimes you have to stop a minute & say–Hey, this is my LIFE!
Jeanne
Well, I’ve had my tickets for months now – I can’t wait!!! Its so wonderful that your West Coast “place” is Freight & Salvage – they’re great people doing wonderful things. And just over an hour from home, as well!
So we’ll see you at the CD table, I’ve been saving my purchase of the new CD for just this occasion!
I made some of those same decisions when I had family and livestock and traveling to do craft fairs and shows where I netted next to nothing was killing my body and my soul. For me it has been wonderful – I do the part of my work I like best and sell on the Internet so I can be home. AND I make more money and more of it stays in my pocket without the travel expenses!
jeanne
Susan
We’re thrilled you’re visiting our favorite club (in Berkeley) and will be there. I’m very happy that you’re there Saturday night so I can spend the day in Synagogue, Break the Fast, and head to the Freight for a different kind of spiritual experience.
I forwarded your blog to the staff and the Freight and they thought it was very cool as well.
Safe travels and see you on Saturday.
Christine Kane
susanne – there are so many ways to have a successful career as an artist and on your own terms. we all get dumbed into thinking it has to look one way. good for you for learning how to make it happen healthily for you!
thanks charity – well, now you have to come up and say hi at the cd table! thanks for going so far to see the show!
Charity
Christine — Can I just say how thrilled I am that you’ll be in San Francisco? Although my family lives in the Appalachian and Smoky mountains, I live in Reno and rarely do my visits home seem to coincide with shows of yours. So I have my tickets for Saturday night, will be driving over the mountain and am dragging a couple of friends up with me from San Jose to see the show.
Just your being there is a gift for me.
Susanne
That “drive four hours out of your way and back for 100$”-thing was one of the reasons my husband and I stopped performing regularly. Since we love teaching we’d rather add another student (which gets us about the same amount of money) and have about nine hours more time. And in the case of my husband who used to manage the whole band he finally got the time and energy to write and record his own music.
Christine Kane
k-l that’s a great question. in the first year of doing this, i was pretty scared. my income, obviously, went way down. but now, I’m making more than i was before, and i’m traveling much less. (and the performance/teaching opportunities that have shown up have been of a much higher caliber with better fees.) i’ve had to get more creative about income streams (this blog is a way of slowly building those other streams up), and i’ve added more retreats (i used to do only two a year) but overall, it’s working. and i’m happier!
hello bill – i’ll see if i can re-learn pocketful of pennies for you!
annie – sounds like a good decision. it may be that you just need to re-evaluate how you’re approaching things rather than give up on traveling! (or maybe you’ve discovered that touring all over the place is just not the thing for you!)
thanks kathy. and of course, there’s a fine line between determining when something becomes a chore – and when we’re just being grouchy! (at least that’s been a big one for me.)
Kathy
Bravo! Saying no is one of the hardest things to do – and also knowing which things to say yes to even if they look idiotic to others. You’re an inspiration for those of us who (try to) go with our gut, take care of us first, realize that saying no to things that don’t fill our well ultimately gets us to a better place. I love the idea that each performance is a gift – for others and yourself. When anything becomes a chore for me, it is no longer fun. If you listen, your gut (your your spirit guides as Andrea Hess calls it) tells you exactly what to do. Bravo to you for listening, creating this for yourself!
Annie Walker
Wow. Everything is a gift for someone? This post was a gift for me. I’m currently *very* conflicted about one of the bands which I am working with. It’s on the way up, and we are *finally* starting to bring in a bit of money. But I’m not enjoying it anymore – the last small tour we did I worked so hard that I forgot to eat for 48 hours whilst putting in some of the most physical work on shows I’ve ever done. It took me almost 3 weeks to recover from it.
But we’ve just been offered a couple of gigs in Scotland, which is a 6 hour+ drive each way for us. I would have to leave the kids with sitters (which costs), put vast amounts of fuel in the van (which costs) and work like heck at a job which I am starting to lose faith in.
Your post clarified it for me – I don’t want to do it. My health and sanity is worth more than the money, however much I need it. I’d far rather go out and do 6 small shows locally, and busk for a few days than do what we’ve been offered.
Thanks for the words of wisdom when I needed them 🙂
Bill Custis
Many of us Westerners are “Overjoyed” with the expedition to Freight & Salvage. It provides me with the one annual opportunity to experience the music LIVE. CD’s and DVD’s are a great medium, but live is magical. For me it began in Fort Collins, CO and lead to the Opera House in Pinos Altos and now Berkeley, CA. Having heard “Off the Ground” and “Pocketful Of Pennies” were the inspiration to hear more, and the gifts have multiplied in scope and depth. The recent “Backstage Guitar Lesson” was unique and most appreciated by the Basement Band that meets at my home. Our enthusiasm far outstrips talent, but the joy of such collaboration is volcanic.
Speaking of gifts: on my list is Pocketfull of Pennies ….. I know …. it’s passé …. but I still love the guitar progressions!
Ready for enjoyment with “The Customers”,
BC
K-L Masina | Be Conscious Now
Awesome cartoon to illustrate a great article.
Question: How has this approach worked for you? Do you do less gigs? Make more money? Have more fun?
I love the last paragraph, about how every evening holds a gift for someone, that’s a beautiful way to look at performance.
Much joy,
KL