How Much Money Do Nashville Musicians Make?

So just how much money does a local musician in Nashville make?. If you’re curious about what to expect working in the Honky Tonk/Lower Broadway scene of Nashville, this video will provide some insight!
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[Theweeze]

That was great. Very well put very succinct, very human element being expressed as a musician.
Have been playing gigs since 1976, and I really agree with your ethos.
Money is a wonderful servant, and a horrible taskmaster. If you’re going to play music for the long run, you have to remember why you do it, and why you got into it in the first place.
Personally… Playing music, even by myself, has saved me thousands of dollars in therapy! I subscribed!

[_Planeview_]

If you can make $400 a day playing 6-8 hours, 5 days a week, year round, then you’re making more than most people working jobs they absolutely despise. That’s around 100k a year to do something you love. Sounds like a win to me 😂.

[stringbender]

Good info! I have been VERY curious about wages on lower Broadway for years. I almost moved to Nashville in the early 80’s. Ended up playing the local clubs in Missouri, hotel circuit, casinos and aboard cruise ships abroad for 35+ years. Now semi-retired and living north of Nashville. Now subbed!

[sweezyjackson]

I once met a bass player that said he made way more money in Austin Tx. Said he made 150k a year the year he left for Nashville. Hes a top session guy now.
You wont get rich in Nashville unless you write hit songs.

[LDM]

I played professionally for over 30 years, and he's pretty much right on target. There's occasions where you can play a venue that pays 300 to 500 a piece. Your fairs and festival circuit pays well.

[NickyV]

This is fantastic information and great advice for anybody wanting to get into it. Everything is spot on. Love that you talk about not overworking yourself so you can give your all to the gig you are on.

[IanNicholasMusic]

That’s crazy. The typical base rate here in Amarillo is around $100/hour

[larryellington]

Tampa Bay and the surrounding three counties within an 80 mi radius are by far the best paying for musicians live music venues

[markmailloux]

as a "tourist" who's been to Nashville around 15 times and also a working musician I feel like I need to chime in. I truly believe the musicians union needs to step in here (and I'm not typically a union guy). I'm also typically a supporter of small business owners but I'm siding with the musicians here. The union needs to organize that community and fight for better pay. The idea of a professional musician getting a base pay of as little as $25/gig is ridiculous. These venues are charging a LOT of money for drinks...I was charged $10 for a BOTTLE of Miller High Life at Nudie's which is repulsive. That bottle didn't cost them $1. I can support the business owner if their margins are more in line with reality...$5 let's say. But they're all doing it. I get that there's no cover at these bars and in fact the "cover charge" is built in to the price of the beer but still. A band should be guaranteed $400 for a four hour shift and single/duo's should be $100/person. Nashville is wildly busier than the first time I went there 15 years ago. It's also wildly more expensive that it was. The pay scale for musicians hasn't evolved the way that the price scale for drinks has evolved. Thanks for the informative post and good gigging to you!

[huntersausageandredbeardsh]

Sounds like you made a similar amount of money to what I make playing in Idaho which is interesting because cost of living is higher in Nashville, depending on where you live.

[chrisbednarks]

Aaron Apter. What's up brother? Randomly checking some music videos and run into this video like 'I recognize this dude.' Good to see you doing well, bro. Come a long way from Stevie gigs!

[kleinster]

Same as Beale St. Memphis. But we typically got at least $100 base a person for a 4person band…not including tips. After bar tab and gas maybe broke even or had a few left over. Then new strings, gear repair, gear replacements….Basically paid-to-play when it was all said and done.

[huntersausageandredbeardsh]

I had a few performances in Nashville. I played on Printer's Alley, 6th and peabody and Fox and Lock. Broadway wasn't very impressive to me personally. I was expecting something a little better. Tbh, the other venues I visited outside of broadway were more interesting. I did subscribed to you because I posted some videos from my gigs in Nashville on my channel.

[huntersausageandredbeardsh]

It's a bummer the base pay isn't higher in Nashville.

[howlinwaters]

The gen's that have come up from 80's-2000's seem to think it's such a travesty to call a gig a 'shift', everyone somehow thinking they're above that.

When I started playing clubs right out of high school in the early 1970's, we played 6 nights a week, 4-5hrs each night. Back then it was called a 'job'. No one had problem w/it & was freekin' glad to get a 'job' playing music every night, w/a weekly steady paycheck. Many of us at that time were making more than men w/families stuck in a factory job.

So, no one is above it. If you're dreaming of bigger things then make your plans & work toward it, while pulling 'shifts' playing your instrument & practicing your craft. ✌️

[bassadelica]

$100-$150 + tips for 3-4 hour shift? That's brutal. That's actually what low end bar band guys make per guy in small cities. Something to consider, I'm seeing a lot musicians bailing Nashville

[argyle]

Any gigs for jazz musicians down there? Thanks.

[theatifband]

Can I play pm broadway, I do MJ Rock tributes. Thanks for the v informative video. Financially, personally, & Professionally.

[leftymartincountry]

Thanks for posting this information! Damn, I love Ramen noodles!

[guitarandotherthings]

I dont know about Nashville but in Key West its usually $400 a night and live acts are busier on a Wednesday than Nashville on a Saturday. If you can become a house band you can clean up nicely. But the competition is fierce there too. You gotta be real good!