How Much Does Your Band Make ?

About Steel Guitarists and their Music

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Charles Davidson
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Location: Phenix City Alabama, USA

How Much Does Your Band Make ?

Post by Charles Davidson »

Just wondering,[don't have to ans if you choise not to],Was just wondering what most make in club gigs in different areas.Just normal clubs and critter clubs.trying to see if we are getting screwed in this area. DYKBC.
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !
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Steve Norman
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Post by Steve Norman »

Seattle ranges from $60-500 at the level I play at. My bands usually make about $200 on average.That usually includes 2 or 3 free drinks per member + 2 guests in free per member.
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Jerry Eilander
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Location: Hadspen, Tasmania, Australia

Post by Jerry Eilander »

$600.00
but aussie dollars,for a 4 piece 60th 70th rock band.
on steel I play with verious artists,
$20.00 was the lowest, $100.00 was my best,
cheers from "down under"
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Paul Wade
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Location: mundelein,ill

band pay

Post by Paul Wade »

around 150 to 200 a night 4 hour gig's

p.w
:) www.countyoutlaws.com
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Dick Wood
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Post by Dick Wood »

Here in the Dallas/Fort Worth area bands typically average between $600-700 night at most clubs.

Oddly,Billy Bob's Texas is the worst at $450.00/night but you get to play 4 nights and get off early.
Steve Reynolds
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Post by Steve Reynolds »

In the Chicago suburbs it's $550 for the band with no cover charge. Steve R.
Leroy Riggs
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Post by Leroy Riggs »

In clubs around Denver, we never got more than $300/nite although the bigger clubs pay more if you have a following or a name.
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Jaclyn Jones
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Post by Jaclyn Jones »

In the Galveston-Clear Lake, TX area we get $400 average for 4 piece. Dicount on food and drinks at most. Some barmaids do better with tips!
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Ellis Miller
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Post by Ellis Miller »

In SW Colorado, we get $500/night ($100/man) for a five piece on our regular weekend club gigs.

We get a little more for Weddings or if we have to travel a ways.
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Chris LeDrew
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Post by Chris LeDrew »

8) 8) 8) 8) 8)
Last edited by Chris LeDrew on 23 Apr 2009 6:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Kevin Hatton
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Post by Kevin Hatton »

Its all about demand for your band like Chris said. If your band sucks it will make suck money. If your band is good it will make good money. Its about entertainment.
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Jim Cohen
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Post by Jim Cohen »

Hey wait a minute! You guys get paid to play steel? Huh? :oops:
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Chris LeDrew
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Location: Canada

Post by Chris LeDrew »

I should have said that I double on steel and guitar, but about 60% are just steel gigs.
Charles Davidson
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Location: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Post by Charles Davidson »

Thanks for the info guys, don't guess we are doing to bad. DYKBC.
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !
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Tim Whitlock
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Post by Tim Whitlock »

About the exact same as I made in 1982.
Tommy Shown
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Post by Tommy Shown »

The last band known band I was in Charlie, we would get paid by the work we did on stage. for instance the drummer, keyboard, and Bass player all made $i00.00 each the lead guitar player made $75.00, while the fiddle player and myself made $50.00 each.
The lead singer made $150.oo per show.
Ron !
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Post by Ron ! »

Best paying gig I ever had was $2800 for a 5 piece band.This was in 1998 in Holland.
Usually gigs over here people make $400 a night.Nothing fancy...mere rock country or what ever they call it these days.

Ron
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Jack Stoner
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Post by Jack Stoner »

We have been getting around $300 for 4 pieces and a 3 hour gig at most RV parks (usually 7 to 10 PM) and that is not bad for Florida. We don't play bars/clubs.

We also do some touring, in Florida, with some of the Nashville singers and this winter (four piece band) we got $500 for two hour shows, and a little more if the jobs required a long travel for the show. The $125 for a two hour show isn't bad but it is when you consider travel time to and from the job, and setup time (we are the "roadies" for setup and teardown of the P.A. system).
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Jack Dougherty
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Post by Jack Dougherty »

Tim Whitlock wrote:About the exact same as I made in 1982.
How about 1972 :lol:

Only gas was $.75
Charles Davidson
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Location: Phenix City Alabama, USA

Post by Charles Davidson »

Most of the gigs we play are out of town,maybe 75 or 100 miles away,we average 500 bucks [five pieces] We travel in our Siver Eagle,about every third trip we all chip in 20 bucks for fuel,cheaper than driving two or three cars or trucks,But the pay has'nt kept up with the times,the FIRST gig I got paid for in 57 was 50 bucks,more than a lot of 40 hour working men were making in a week. DYKBC.
Hard headed, opinionated old geezer. BAMA CHARLIE. GOD BLESS AMERICA. ANIMAL RIGHTS ACTIVIST. SUPPORT LIVE MUSIC !
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Chris LeDrew
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Post by Chris LeDrew »

Yes, for some strange reason beer went up, gas went up, waiter/waitress/bartender pay went up, rent went up, and on and on......but $100 a man is still the norm for an average bar gig to a built-in crowd. I blame this on the lack of unions on the bar gig level. The low amount of pay makes it almost impossible to keep a union afloat anyway, so it's a vicious circle.
Dan Sliter
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Band income

Post by Dan Sliter »

We make 1000.00 to 1250.00 for a Fri & Sat show 4 hrs per night and they put us up in rooms and feed us. free drinks for thoes who drink.We are booked up until the second month of next year in the best club in Arkansas and Mo.
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Doug Beaumier
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Post by Doug Beaumier »

I can't believe that some of bands (posted here) play for $200 to $300 a night... for the whole band??? Are you kidding? My bands made more than that in 1977. That was 32 years ago. :lol:
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Skip Ellis
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Location: Bradenton, Fl USA

Post by Skip Ellis »

In Florida it's a fight to get 50 dollars a man in the bars and animal clubs. A lot of them are hiring duos with computer backup. Pay is better if you're doing private and society stuff.
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