I'd love to do paying gigs. I do open mics for the joy of it, and sing when invited to for the pleasure of doing it.

But I am not in demand, either, and therein lies an important difference. Choosing from an over-load of volunteers is a very different matter than inviting someone to entertain your customers because it will draw in more custom. Different dynamic.

I know a handful of people who do a lot of free singing on the Open Mic circuit and an occasional paid gig. I notice that those who have many paid gigs are constantly busy promoting themselves, running as fast as they can to keep that revenue stream rolling, and I am glad I don't have to climb onto that squirrel-cage, myself. I'd be happy to do a paid gig, but there are others who need the dough much more seriously than I do.