Yeah, but then there are greats like Jason Ricci
driving around in a broken down van and having to
crash at your house. If that's the best he can do
where does that leave the rest of us shcmucks?
Making $50 to $75 a gig if you're lucky. I remember reading
somewhere that blues represents about one percent of record sales
nationwide. We're talking simple supply and demand. In the grand
scheme there's very little demand for our beloved form of music. The
money follows the paying customers. Being a great blues harp player
is simply not appreciated by enough people to demand the high
prices. Do you think Rick Estrin or Kim Wilson or Charlie
Musslewhite makes Robert's money? I rather doubt it. Classical
music is a special case because there's a certain amount of cachet
among the wealthy to be seen supporting "the arts." It's what you do
when you're at a certain level on the food chain. And even in that
milieu, as with all the arts, the upper one or two percent make 99 or
98 percent of the money. The "lower" 98 or 99 percent fight over the
scraps. In fact, as successful as Robert is by blues standards, I'd
be willing to bet that he doesn't make close to what say Perlman or
YoYo Ma or any others of that ilk makes for a similar date--despite
being a colossal talent (I know I studied crom last year with him in
Copake). That's why nearly all parents cringe when their children
ask them to spend $40k a year at a to be a creative writing, art or
music major.