Singer - don't know. But musician-wise - do the names Paganini and Turlough o'Carolan ring any bells? Both made a decent living from their music.

At the very least, musicians would receive board, lodging and clothing from the rich family putting them up (or at least board and lodging for an itinerant musician staying the night). If you choose this to mean that they weren't paid *money*, then you can try that interpretation, but it's not really a valid reading of the situation in a barter economy (which was generally the case back then) - and even then, itinerant musicians (the folk variety) would be busking for money.

Graham.