Originally Posted by Everett Adams
If you are a performer and have a good singing voice, then you can get heard, even if it is only in your own town. People look for entertainment and small towns rarely get any well known artist performing in their town, so local artist get to perform. Mostly they sing material written by others and heard on radio because that is what people recognize. Some will even write their own songs but don't sing them too often because they don't go over too well. Rarely do you find an artist that can do it all well, like sing, play and write. I'm getting heard through streaming services, some radio stations and churches, but not getting a pile of money, just enough to cover expenses. Still I am happy to a point, money is not everything, especially at my stage of life. Success is not always spelled out in how rich you are. I'm making ends meet, I'm fairly content and healthy which make me fairly happy. Would I like to have a hit song, sure I would but not because of money it would bring in, but satisfaction in knowing something I created made the charts. Recognition for something is what everyone strives for. It could be in any of the arts, sports, movies, dances, etc. We long to be accepted by our piers,and the world in general, but it does not make us any better than those that don't standout in life. A man and woman that raises a happy family are heroes in the eyes of their children, especially in this day and age when most marriages end in divorce. Even those that are rich and famous are not content or happy, they are always searching and reaching for more. More of what? They don't even know. Many people find contentment and happiness in just helping others. Many choose careers for that reason, like Doctors and nurses, sure some choose those careers for the money it pays, but some for the contentment of just helping. Teachers are the same, missionaries who spend their lives in poor countries to serve the people, not to get rich. We all have different desires and aims in life, some aim high and never make it and are disappointed, some aim low and make it and are happy and contented. Those that aim high and make it are rarely happy and content.

People that win the lottery are rarely satisfied, they keep playing trying to win again. Much needs more. Don't worry be happy. LOL


Yeah local gigs are always available. I know a guy who has been doing it for 30 years. They are not very rewarding, alot of the time the "crowd" doesnt even know you are there.

I played one time in this cheap bar, and it was in a neighborhood that had alot of minorities. They usually didnt go to a rock bar like that, but one time there was this bus incident, where kids from this school got stalled and came to the bar for shelter why they waited for things to be fixed. Came in right in the middle of our gig, took a look at us, and I swear, they had this look on their face like, what is this the 1700's? I mean like they had no concept of somebody standing in front of a mic singing. Once the initial shock set in, they didnt look our way the entire two hours they were stuck there. I remember playing "when I saw her standing there".... they didnt acknowledge us, didnt clap or boo, it was like we were part of the wall. We might of done better that night if we had some records to scratch and did a DJ thin.

That was extreme, but alot of audiences are like that at these gigs. The places we used to find to do a gig weren't music venues, they were just bars and restaurants, yeah you could make 100 bucks maybe, but what killed it for me was the lack of interested people.

I was able to throw in originals too. So there was always a chance somebody would like something, Once in a while they'd ask where they could buy that song...at the time music wasnt as readily available as it is now. It was hard to sell a full cd too.

But it beats alot of other hobbies where there isnt much of a way to make money. I never tried to get into the music venues mostly because the majority of them didnt pay anything, they thought you were there to be seen. Yeah, you are, but the low end music venues have 5 people in them, and all of them are other musicians. It's like soundcloud or soundclick. Who goes there but other musicians?

Last edited by Fdemetrio; 11/06/19 11:48 AM.