Corona and It’s Impact on The PSG Gig Economy

[Ricky Davis]

I make a GREAT living playing/producing/recording music.
But I make a HORRIBLE living; when it all gets cancelled.
Ricky

[David Ball]

My dad made his living in music his whole life and did quite well. I made my living as a musician for a couple of years--I did well, but decided I wasn't cut out for life as a musician. A great hobby, when it became a job, was taking too much of the fun out of playing.

I ended up as an IT guy, hitting the right place at the right time. I worked private sector for a long time, but ended up working with the courts, law enforcement and justice systems in general among other things. It was great fun, and music became a great "antidote" to government IT work. I made a better living in the private sector, but really enjoyed working in the justice system.

As it stands today, at the government I worked for there was no pension, just the 401K that is today's standard. I have social security and a bit of draw off of my savings, but I can't say I'm all that far ahead financially of where I had been had I stuck with music. But, I still enjoy music, and I don't think that I would have if I had kept with it as a livelihood.

Dave

[Dave Hopping]

Within the last day or so, some government spokesman or other reiterated what most of us knew-that gig employment doesn't qualify for unemployment compensation. In this same timeframe another government spokesperson--Dr. Fauci this time--told Fox commentator Mark Levin on live national TV that for the relatively healthy working-age population, the coronavirus is a "relatively mild" ailment. Yet the measures that are being taken would seem more appropriate to the Black Plague. There's been some serious disruption to the economy, a very substantial loss of personal income as well as deep erosion of investments, and an upcoming explosion of the deficit, along with decreased tax revenues. Frankly, I'm wondering whether we haven't been listening a little too hard to people with a vested interest in crying "Wolf"...

[Jim Cohen]

...Dr. Fauci this time--told Fox commentator Mark Levin on live national TV that for the relatively healthy working-age population, the coronavirus is a "relatively mild" ailment. Yet the measures that are being taken would seem more appropriate to the Black Plague. T... Frankly, I'm wondering whether we haven't been listening a little too hard to people with a vested interest in crying "Wolf"...

Well, the reason is because this is not just about how the disease affects us personally. Even if we have mild cases, we are carriers and if we have parents, grandparents, friends, lovers, acquaintances, coworkers, band members, audience members, etc. who are at risk by virtue of being over 60 years of age, having certain medical conditions (such as COPD, diabetes) or diminished immune function (e.g., autoimmune disease or cancer chemotherapy), they are at risk of MAJOR, even fatal consequences.

Witness our devoted steel guitar friend and Forumite, poor Doug Rolfe, who was well over 60 and already had pulmonary fibrosis, putting him at extreme risk from coronavirus. Within 48 hours of his diagnosis, he was gone. I, for one, am very glad I'm not the one who exposed him to the disease. I'm sure we all are...

[David Ball]

Well said, Jim.

[Jim Cohen]

Within the last day or so, some government spokesman or other reiterated what most of us knew-that gig employment doesn't qualify for unemployment compensation...

According to this NY Times summary, it looks like gig workers might in fact get some aid from the congressional stimulus package:

https://messaging-custom-newsletters.ny ... b_20200326

[Jon Jaffe]

Jim, a bright spot!

Folks, let’s not be political in tone. I am sure that the producers at FOX/MSNBC don’t give a hoot about the steel guitar world, but we do. With that-

I said the dissolution of the gigs would not affect me financially, though it has kept me from the ATM machine for years. It affects my sense of fulfillment. As I said earlier, I retired in September after a 40-year career in Emergency Medicine. I had my week planned. Monday and Thursday, I would exercise and do chores, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday was reserved for golf. I had a sit-down gig every other Friday at a popular honky-tonk in Austin. My retirement was going smoothly.

Friday the 13th was my last gig in Austin, and I was wishing it would be called off. When I set up, it was empty. By 8 o’clock, it was packed. I was petrified. And I am still.

I bought my first PSG in 1973 and had my first gig at the TLA on South St in Philadelphia in early ‘74. During my residency, I played in the Buffalo bars instead of moonlighting in rural hospital ERs. I continued playing in Milwaukee, Georgia, and finally in Austin in 1986. Except for a few months here and there, it’s been continuous.

I miss it already.

[Dave Hopping]

Within the last day or so, some government spokesman or other reiterated what most of us knew-that gig employment doesn't qualify for unemployment compensation...

According to this NY Times summary, it looks like gig workers might in fact get some aid from the congressional stimulus package:

https://messaging-custom-newsletters.ny ... b_20200326

I'll be interested to see what actually happens,although I'd much rather gig than take the dole.YMMV.

[Michael Sawyer]

I feel bad for anybody who is out of work due to this shutdown

I am just thankful that I am at a point in life that my wife and I aren't living paycheck to paycheck.

Music is and has always been a hobby to me,i realized 25 years ago I'm not a person who can make a living doing it.


Best of luck to you all in these tough times.

[Chris Schlotzhauer]

Does anyone know if we get checks if we draw SS?

[Larry Ball]

I feel bad for the "Professional Musicians" that have lost their income due to the Coronavirus. For us players that have gigs cancelled that only work weekends etc. No Problem.

There must be someway that a pro can benefit from the stimulus package put out by the government. The music industry is very important for many, many reasons and cannot be lost. A Pro has to eat and pay bills, plus needs time to rehearse to maintain that standard. So I think it is time for Nashville and other centers that provide services to the Music Industry Stand Up and ask for support. Recording Studios, Musician Union, Grand Old Opry etc. have the biggest voice. Television, Vegas, are just as effected...If they can approve money for the Preforming Arts (Kennedy Center) what about the Music Industry that supplies the Talent.

My two cents....I share your concern

[Dave Mudgett]

Does anyone know if we get checks if we draw SS?

The clearest, most succinct discussion I've seen today is here:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/kellyphill ... d62ede1f9c

If that is to be believed, the answer is yes. The actual text of the Congressional Record containing all this is here - https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CRE ... -03-25.pdf

Good luck reading it if you're not an attorney. It makes the mathematical and scientific articles I routinely read look like a cakewalk, but only because very simple things are buried in enormous amounts of text. But I waded through it and think I finally found the relevant section:

SEC. 2201. 2020 RECOVERY REBATES FOR INDIVIDUALS.

As far as I can see, if you pay federal taxes, this is an up-front direct 2020 federal tax rebate of $1200 (filing singly) and $2400 (filing jointly) and $500 per child in the household, except that if your income is > $75,0000 (filing singly) or $150,000 (filing jointly), that gets reduced by $5% for each dollar earned beyond that point until it goes to zero.

As far as eligibility, the text reads:

(d) ELIGIBLE INDIVIDUAL.—For purposes of this section, the term ‘eligible individual’ means any individual other than—
(1) any nonresident alien individual,
(2) any individual with respect to whom a deduction under section 151 is allowable to another taxpayer for a taxable year beginning in the calendar year in which the individual’s taxable year begins, and
(3) an estate or trust.

So, it appears to me that, indeed, any taxpayer not falling into one of those 3 categories is eligible.


To my knowledge, the House hasn't yet voted on this, so I suppose it's possible something here could change. But I think they're gonna swallow it whole. We'll see.

[Dave Mudgett]

I'll be interested to see what actually happens,although I'd much rather gig than take the dole. YMMV.

I guarantee you - I, and I'll bet most if not all of us, would MUCH rather be out playing than getting a check - if it was safe to do so. But it's not, so there it is.

[Jim Cohen]

...if your income is > $75,0000 (filing singly) or $150,000 (filing jointly), that gets reduced by $5% for each dollar earned beyond that point until it goes to zero...

I think that's off, Dave. According to the Washington Post, the payment falls by $5 (not 5%) for every $100 (not $1) beyond those limits.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics ... rc=nl_most

[Drew Howard]

I had a session Tuesday, March 11. Worked my dayjob another week and a half until everything stopped in my state.
Off til at least mid-April.

I hope the numbers flatten soon. The good news is that people can recover from Covid19 (see link below). The bad news is that we don't have the equipment, respirators, etc. for everyone.

https://google.org/crisisresponse/covid19-map


Real gigs are gone. Virtual gigs are on Facebook.

Be safe, everyone. This virus is no joke.

[Charlie McDonald]

Does anyone know if we get checks if we draw SS?

There are several of us wondering about that. I won't be holding my breath....

On this forum, I have learned more useful stuff about the current situation that anywhere else, thanks in great part to Dave and others.

I'm comfortable without the worry of not doing enough, because I'm taking it seriously.

Sorry about all the guys who are having to let gigs go by. It's all so wierd... beyond my imagination. What a foolish virgin I was.

[Fred Treece]

Remember that evictions and foreclosures are on hold until at least through April. So if you can’t afford your rent or your mortgage, don’t pay it if it means you have to starve or stop medications.

Charlie: https://www.ssa.gov/coronavirus/
The information is not available yet, but that’s where it will be posted.

[Dave Mudgett]

I think that's off, Dave. According to the Washington Post, the payment falls by $5 (not 5%) for every $100 (not $1) beyond those limits.

I'm just going by what's in the statute in the pdf I linked:

(c) LIMITATION BASED ON ADJUSTED GROSS INCOME.—The amount of the credit allowed by subsection (a) (determined without regard to this subsection and subsection (e)) shall be reduced (but not below zero) by 5 percent of so much of the taxpayer’s adjusted gross income as exceeds—
(1) $150,000 in the case of a joint return,
(2) $112,500 in the case of a head of household, and
(3) $75,000 in the case of a taxpayer not described in paragraph (1) or (2).

Anyway - $5 for every $100 is 5%. But it's not clear to me that the amount is discretized to "for every $100" - the statute doesn't say that, or at least I can't find it. I assume it is discretized to whole dollars because all federal tax amounts are discretized to whole dollars.

[Don R Brown]

Does anyone know if we get checks if we draw SS?

Yes, you will. Unless something changes from what has been reported.

[David Mitchell]

Working in a popular music store is the ticket to tons of gigs, sessions and cool instruments. I did that most of my life. Had to turn down more work than I could accept. I worked 60 hours every week in the music store and still managed to play 2 to 4 nights a week and operate my recording studio. If I wasn't gigging I was doing a session. I was always single with no family so why not be working? Yeah there is probably music stores closed from Coronavirus but just think of all the contacts you could have made before all this happened. I'm retired and don't need the money anymore but I thought I would offer this suggestion before you took a job on an assembly line and you are so tired at the end of the day you don't feel like playing a gig at night. Been there and did that too.

[Charlie Thompson]

I'm out about 25 gigs/shows now through May. Most of these will likely not be rescheduled. I'm staying home, working on steel guitar song melodies with backing tracks,learning new banjo tunes and very grateful to not be sick as of today.

[Bill McCloskey]

"Does anyone know if we get checks if we draw SS?
"

I got mine yesterday.

[Rick Campbell]

I'm out about 25 gigs/shows now through May. Most of these will likely not be rescheduled. I'm staying home, working on steel guitar song melodies with backing tracks,learning new banjo tunes and very grateful to not be sick as of today.

Charlie, banjo tunes? You must be desperate. Do you want me to send you some jigsaw puzzles, or seek-a-word books?

(I'm a banjo picker too, just messing with you a little.)

[David Ball]

As yet another steeler/banjo picker (admittedly mostly a banjo picker...), I think that like every other addiction--first you have to admit you have a problem. I haven't really gotten there yet with banjo, so I don't know what comes next. Maybe seek-a-word, but I hope not.

Back to topic--our governor just put the entire state of North Carolina on "Stay at Home" status. Hope it helps.

Dave

[Don R Brown]

our governor just put the entire state of North Carolina on "Stay at Home" status. Hope it helps.

Dave