weren ’ t even a set band . A musician could book a gig in a club , then call on his favorite players or their subs , and show up to play . A dependable freelancer , I was the singer on such gigs . And sometimes , I saved the day because I owned a sound system . NJ clubs didn ’ t have sound systems , so owning one , would make one a more attractive hire . So – I invested hundreds of dollars in a PA and mics , so I could play $ 35 … or maybe $ 50 gigs ! That reminds me of a joke : A working musician won a million dollars in the lottery . A friend asked him if he was going to retire from music now , and he replied , “ No . I ’ m going to keep working ‘ til the money ’ s gone .” Though it ’ s still not easy making a living in music , today , thanks to FB and other social media to help with promotion and You- Tube for learning songs , the dayto-day prepping is , thankfully , easy .

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Rosemary Conte is a singer , voice teacher , and freelance writer . She coaches people on how to get started in music and in interpreting dreams . Her column appears here monthly . Contact Rosemary to learn how you or your business can become a sponsor of her monthly Inside Music column with a text box in the column announcing your support . Or , consider buying an ad to appear in Rosemary ’ s column at a discounted rate . For details email RConte9 @ verizon . net or call 732-583-4959 .