Another aspect is, being compensated for all the time you and your husband have spent honing your craft.

In just about any other business people are compensated for their TIME. Not so, generally with musicians.

When I was making my living soley as a professional working musician and band leader, I deeply resented hotels and club owners nickel and diming me, during contract negotiations. The one phrase that made me want to dunk the person across the desk from me, in hydrochloric acid was ''But you guys are having so much fun up there - what's the difference over a few bucks?''

I remember a particular conversation I had with a general manager of a hotel in his office, when we were renegotiating our contract. We'd been doing about 15 weeks a year at this particular hotel for the past 3 years without a raise - mind you it was always just a tad above whatever the union scale was at the time.

The GM says to me, ''why do you need a raise? There are dozens of other bands I could hire that could do just as good a job as yours, and I could get them cheaper''.

I broke my answer down into three parts.

Part A was, ''Sir. Are you making the same money now as you were 3 years ago? '' Then why should you expect us to.

Part B was ''Check your liquor sales records, and see which band sells the most booze during their engagement at your hotel.'' (as in keeping a dance floor packed causing people to get thirsty.)

Part C was ''With all due respect, I could learn your job in about 2-3 years if I really applied myself. Could you learn mine in the same time period?''

I got the raise, and some respect at the same time.

If you are confident, with your product you are justified in charging something for people to here you play publicly. Charge too little and nobody will respect what you are doing. Charge too much and they won't pay it. Experiment and talk to other musicians with a good business head on their shoulders.

Ultimately do it because you love it and feel compelled to. When performing live becomes more work than fun, it's time to retire from it.