I started out in life as a singer, did lots of amdrams for the so called experience great fun - hard work no dosh Then I went all commercial and started earning some money in the late 70s and never did stuff for nowt again and ended up singing as a professional tenor and being paid. If you want to perform for nothing thats fine by me but being a pro means you get paid otherwise no point. I also worked as a TV actor - conditions lousy but not not bad dosh mostly but you got paid. I have tried explaining to Sainsburys that feeding me and the wife would be good publicity but they seem to want money

I seem to remember in the 60s reading in Banjo Mandolin and Guitar that you could just about earn £20 a week ie a bare living wage as a folk singer if you toured constantly and slept in a phone box while working. I suspect it is never been a way to make a fortune for most people

Until the rise of the West End musicals in the 80s most trained singers were part timers who taught to make a living or did summer shows or panto. Music is a great hobby but a lousy living for most people