Support Your Local Musicians!

Singer/Songwriter Kimberli Maloy in concert. One of Eastern Iowa's under-appreciated talents.

Local musicians are a mixed lot. They range from people who have more enthusiasm than talent or skill, to people who should, and perhaps one day will be, headlining major tours and earning gold records. Most of them, though, are people who, like anyone else, want to make their way through life doing what they love, and hopefully earning enough in the process to provide a decent lifestyle for themselves and their families.

At times, a local musician will treat an audience to songs and styles of music they might otherwise not hear. For me, the original songs local musicians offer are a big reason I appreciate them, because they provide a unique experience. Often, the music they provide has been unsullied by the profit motive machinations of a record company, many of which are far less concerned about the performer as a person than about the profit being made.

Exploitation of musicians is part and parcel of the music industry. Independent labels are less guilty of the offense, but still the demand for profit can lead to treating musicians as a commodity if the producers and bean counters aren't careful. The sad thing is, this exploitation happens at the local level, with local musicians. People with tremendous talent are viewed as simply a resource to increase profits for a local bar or restaurant, without regard for the impact their mercenary approach to featuring bands has on the performers.


When a bar or restaurant says it supports local musicians by booking them for appearances, there are a couple of questions that need to be asked:

Is the musician being paid union recommended wages? 

A lot of places try to book musicians based only on tips they might receive and potential CD sales. The sales pitch to lure them is "You will get lots of exposure". Some places do pay, and pay well, but it's pretty much a given that if the venue doesn't charge admission to the event, or at least have a cover charge, the musician is receiving minimal compensation.

Union recommended wages for a local musician may seem high, perhaps $30-60 an hour per performer, sometimes more (plus travel and other expenses if applicable), but those wages are based on a real understanding of what goes into being a professional musician as well as the realities that they spend 10 to 20 hours rehearsing for ever hour they get paid to perform. That and few are working 40 hours worth of gigs a week: some are lucky to get one or two gigs a week.

At the same time, a popular musician can bring in hundreds or even thousands of dollars of extra income to a bar or restaurant. It's only fair to pay adequately for someone who has turned a slow Thursday night (how about those 2 for 1 hot wings!) into a packed house making loads of cash for the owner.

Is the musician offered a place to play that actually looks like the owner wants to feature the musician (enough room, decent lighting), or are they tucked into some dim corner?

Often, the same owners who want to book musicians for tips also don't want to risk losing table space to their presence, so they find a spot out of the way. This is an affront to the musicians, because not only can it make playing the gig more difficult, it also sends the message they are simply live Muzak rather than the reason for people to come to the bar or restaurant. Shoving a singer into some dark corner next to a ficus or the entrance to the kitchen is like giving a child a broken toy: it just doesn't quite have the allure it should.

A musician might get paid $100 for a 4 hour gig at a bar, plus tips, but that doesn't mean they've made a lot of money. That may be the only gig they play that week. Hundreds of hours of rehearsal go into being proficient enough to play as a pro.  Not that all musicians that appear in bars and restaurants are that proficient. (We've all heard bands that make us want to yell "Don't give up your day job!"

So, while you're enjoying the great live music, and might even drop a couple of dollars in the tip jar (compared to the ticket price you would pay someplace else, not much, is it?) consider that the performer might be making less than minimum wage when the money made that night is spread out across the entire week and the amount of time spent preparing for the show.

"If it's that bad, why did the musician accept the gig?"

Good question.

First off, realize that most musicians aren't just in it for the money. They are musicians because that is not just what they do, it is who they are. The music is inside of them, spoiling to get out the same way steaming water wants to escape from a geyser. If they are songwriters, the drive to perform can be twice as strong, because it's their very souls they are presenting  through the songs they write and perform. They have things they want to say to the world, and trying to suppress that desire is like trying to tell flowers not to bloom in the springtime.

Yes, the idea of genuine fame does appeal to them. Musicians wouldn't be performing in public if they didn't like the attention and potential fame involved. Yes,Some are entirely commercial in their goals and style and making money is the driving goal behind their music. Most musicians, however much they would like to achieve the fame of top name players, end up content to make a modest living doing what they love. If they can get a few gigs a week, or better yet, develop enough of a following to go on tour, then have all their bills paid and money tucked away for the kids, they are quite happy because they are making a living doing what they love most.

Because they play for the love of it, sometimes a low paying or no pay gig is better than no gig at all. It offers them a chance to perform when otherwise they might be sitting at home watching TV. Yes, sometimes they do it because at least they will get some exposure and people who liked the show will buy tickets at the next performance, and maybe people will buy CDs. Sadly, some have no choice because it's either take the gig, or not have money for rent, groceries etc.

The situation is also complicated by part time musicians, those people who have no intention of making a living from their music, but simply want to earn some extra cash on weekends. Not to disparage them, because many of them are fine musicians, but sometimes they are willing to accept low wages because to them, it's just extra money. The problem is that part timers accepting low paying gigs can lower the bar for the full time musicians, for whom a gig isn't extra money, it's their bread and butter.

Keep in mind, a lot of full time musicians do end up having to work other jobs, simply to make ends meet. Or they are fortunate enough to have a spouse who is working and can pay the bills while they are playing at bars in other cities for barely enough money to cover the cost of gas.

You can help support local musicians by encouraging local bar and restaurant owners to pay union recommended wages.

Let the management or owner know that the main reason you came that night was to hear the musician, not because of the special on hot wings.

When you are at the show, give generously to the tip jar. Some people won't bat an eye at paying $50 to $100 or more for tickets to see a big name performer, so $10 in the tip jar shouldn't be a burden.

If the performer has CDs present, buy one. If you already have all their CDs, buy one as a gift and help get other people interested in a performer you enjoy.

Consider that of all the people working at that bar or restaurant that night, the musician is the most skilled, and deserves to be paid accordingly.

If, at this point, you are asking why you should shell out extra cash to support local musicians, keep in mind they are part of your community. The money you spend on supporting them in turn helps your community. Spend $100 on tickets to Beyonce, and once the local venue gets its cut, most of the rest goes someplace else. Put $10 in a tip jar for a local musician, and that $10 goes right back to the community.