How Much Do Touring Musicians Get Paid? Nashville

I really wasn’t expecting the video to get the amount of reach it did. Really appreciate you guys checking out the channel and thank you for the kind words. Also, those of you that found the Venmo link in the description…you guys are too kind really appreciate it and going to try to up the production/camera work with those funds.

Who takes $10,000 worth of equipment in a $2000 car on a 150 mile trip to earn $150? Musicians and Scuba instructors

I am honestly shocked. I did 62 weddings and private events last year in 2023 and never made less than $450 a show. Most of them were in the $600 range or up. It may not be Nashville, but combined with a teaching gig, I can support my family and that's the most important to me. Grateful to do what I love and make a living at it.

Back in the day when I dreamed of being on a bus, I would've done it for any pay, at first. I made $325-400/show with artists that had #1 hits, Grand Ole Opry member, etc. We were busy with 100+ shows a year, which may not sound like a lot, but that's a ton of travel when you add 1-2 days on either side of gigs. But there I was, having invested many thousands of hours into my craft, making ~$40k/year and hardly ever home. Was it worth it? There were thousands of people waiting in line behind me for my gig that thought it was. Later I ended up getting the Taylor gig, and that was a different ballgame. She paid salary from the very beginning, with healthy bonuses when we were asked to go above and beyond. But even then, the compensation was in no way comparable to other lines of work, as your video accurately describes. After a while, I tired of the "thrill" of the big stages. Don't get me wrong, I'm super thankful for the experiences I had. I know there are thousands of pickers better than me that deserve them more than me, but the gig still lost its shine. I was away from home 300+ days/year with Taylor, and that was no way to start and lead a family. I opted to resign and find other ways to make money with a more stable home life. That was the right decision for me, and looking back I'm thankful for the direction I took. You're right, the biz has changed big time. I came to town in 2004 and things were different in both touring and publishing. I'm thankful to have experienced some of the old Nashville, and thankful for how the experiences grew me. I hope your new venture does well!

I'm in a cover band in Florida. We average $150 - $200 each. Tips can be another $20 - $100. Add in the setup and tear down time, and it isn't a lot. You have to love it and I do. I'm 60 and have a real job as well.

I played in a Country act in the late 90's and early 2000s'. We did about 300 shows a year. I got paid $300 a show. It didn't matter if we were playing a 10,000 seat venue or to bartenders at the Rusty Nail. I got $300 a show. Travel was taken care of. Hotels were taken care of. I was on my own for meals. $90,000/yr. I was in my mid 20's. No wife. No kids. No real responsibilities. It was fun. After that, I played on cruise ships for three years. That was really fun. The money was no where near as good, but the partying was insane! Now, I teach and do session work. Still beats working for a living!

One of my favorite sayings is, “We play for free, they pay us to move the equipment around.”

You’re a good presenter. Concise, thorough, and articulate. Thanks much!

I gigged from '16 - '20 in my 50's. It was always a dream to play in a band and gig. I learned that being a gigging musician for a living would be insanely hard. I can see why doing it for the chicks might be a great young man's game but by the time of my gigging career, my wife never missed a show in over four years... yay. Making music for money is incredibly hard, humbling and so much harder than it looks. I learned having a Front Man that knew a ton of bar owners is the most important cog in that wheel. I learned playing in a studio is like walking into heaven. I learned that weddings definitely pay. I learned that four sets with a Les Paul is a workout. God Bless the Tele... Great post and thanks.

There are many important things that get missed by nearly all young, motivated, musicians pursuing success in the industry. And I was certainly among them in the mid to late 80's when my two brothers and me were in a regionally successful band under contract with a well known talent agency. We kept the roads hot playing clubs, festivals, race tracks, and sometimes colliseums and arenas opening for legacy artists as well as hot acts, some at their peak. I was intent on spending my life as a professional musician. Then I met a girl in my hometown, fell in love, got married, and we had our first daughter. Looking back now at 60, my daughter being born saved me from a direction that wasn't best for me. When I first held her on the day she was born, I knew that her wellbeing and her future depended upon me. I made the decision that day that I would not let her down. From that moment on, music would be my hobby. I still continued to perform on weekends. But I went about securing a future for my family which later became a family of five. I learned in my life that family and faith are more important than all the rest. Young musicians are so taken by the thrill of fame that it takes them many years to clearly see the real economy of their situation. They're typically getting ripped off in many ways and eventually realize it. They're living paycheck to paycheck with no health insurance, zero benefits, and no investment whatsoever toward retirement. They believe all that is so far off that they can worry with it then. But all too soon, the hot new hired guns become old news when the new crop of naive kids arrive on the scene. Then wrinkles start to show and the road becomes grueling. Then age 40 appears out of nowhere and brings along aches and pains. At age 50, your body slows down and starts telling you it's had enough of the road. And if you havn't taken it upon yourself to learn and prepare financially for your golden years, you suddenly realize you'll have to work until the day you die. Life in music is fun. But it is FAR more fun with a secure future for you and your family and with medical insurance, benefits, and a retirement fund. I'm thankful that God gave us children and blessed me with sense to make the right decision. I retired as a telephone lineman at age 57. I'm a much busier and far better musician now than I've ever been. I currently play in two 3 piece classic rock cover bands plus I have a solo acoustic act and I sing often at church. I enjoy live performing on MY terms. I stay as booked as I care to be. My grandchildren and family can come to my shows. I sleep in my own bed every night.

One of the few videos I've watched that I'm bummed it ended so soon. I'm literally stunned that ANY huge stadium act pays less than $1,000... and it should be more. We, as simple fans that are now paying $50-$500 to see a huge act sell out an 18,000 seat stadium, and sometimes a 60,000 stadium always wonder about how much the take is.. along with expenses. All that money made for each show, and the musicians don't earn $1,000 - $2,000 each. Mind boggling tragedy. Thank you sir, for the humble, well stated info. Bravo.

Well done! The youngsters need to hear this…thx for your forthright explanation.

I really appreciate the transparency. Good luck with the new website and recording projects!

Very real and grounded with no ego. Fantastic, may I say again, no ego. Just real talk from a veteran. Very educational

Thanks for sharing this! I've been in the business as a session and tour bassist for over 50 years now, and these numbers (as averages) are very accurate. Making more (or less in some cases) usually comes down to the artist and any tenure earned with them or with other artists. I've personally found that loyalty to tour players by artists can many times be tied to a commitment to the show & material by the player, how easy to work with they are, how prepared they are and how much of a team player they prove to be. I'm very grateful to all the artists and opportunities I've had the pleasure to work with over the years.

Wow, musicians deserve more than that. This is surprising. Thank you for sharing. I'm wishing you well with all your endeavors. I liked, subscribed and am commenting just to support a fellow musician. All the best to you and your wife starting a family. That's huge.

Right on man! Thanks for the perspective. Great channel.

Great info, man! A lot of folks keep the money details close to the vest and are reluctant to get into what an individual musician can expect to be paid. You are doing a real service to any musician seeking to make a living at it. Thanks for this!

Thanks for the video! Very informative. Much appreciation

Videos like this raise my respect for the professional musicians out there. Thanks for the insight. 👏