Dave Van Ronk once said:   How does a folk singer get one million dollars? He starts with two million.

I believe that in this genre of music, as in many ares of endeavor, one has to just love what they do and do it for the joy and sense of accomplishment it brings them. If it is also financially viable---all to the good.
   
   Pete Seeger, as stated earlier, worked and played for many years for "peanuts". It was about the music and the message. Talent and charisma and honesty won out. Once, I had the pleasure of attending a Martin Luther King evening honoring him---and they were giving him a small monetary honorarium. He wanted to return it (his wife thought better of that).

   In my own case---not being a musician---I co-host a radio program--we do not get paid. We do it for the love of the thing we do. Would it be nice of someone decided to syndicate the program--pay us? Sure. Still we do the program --as said--for the love of the music and the artists and the hope that we can interest others in joining us in this joy. I say "we"===obviously I speak only for myself and not my co-host (Ron Olesko). I am, however, confident that he concurs.

   Finally, I have found that in people I have known over the years the most financially successful ones were those that just gave their all to the things they wanted (law, medicine, politics,etc;) and loved. The rewards followed.

Bill Hahn