I'll try to reread my next comment before I hit "submit message" - my posts surely need editing, above! Sorry about that. I hope you can figure out what I meant to say.

BUT - it occurs to me that there are many ways to make this work, and you have to find what works for you - or maybe I should say; find what YOU can make work.

When I started earning my living at music, I decided I wanted to earn all of living from the performance of music. I did not want to teach. I did not want to work in a music store or in the business end of the entertainment industry - but that was a personal choice. There ARE good means of income from some of those tasks, if that is something you enjoy and feel supports your music efforts.

I started out working a mix Pub gigs, festivals and concerts. They are all very different, from a performance perspective - but each taught me core lessons for my main interest; that is performing my music for people (and of course getting paid for it).

I still work that same mix - but with a greater focus on concerts and festivals. I'd give up the pubs in a heartbeat, but I need them. I need them for money. I need them to meet new people (people who'll buy CDs and come to other shows) and I need them to keep me humble! That is, make sure I continue to learn how to please an audience - or more correctly; how to get my music across to an audience. Pubs are hard, but they are good for you. They force you to learn your craft.

You have to work the business side very hard. Get your music recorded - and make the album a true work of art. As Matt Milton says above; "Put out an album that you have recorded properly and mastered professionally. Press up 1000 copies (at least) and send the majority of them to reviewers, festival organisers, writers, folk clubs, websites, radio stations, internet radio stations, venues." - This is just so important. The world needs to hear you and you need to put your best foot forward.

I have learned that I have to travel to make ends meet. I try to work once or twice a month in my hometown - and I work the big festivals in the region - but I need to continually find new audience to grow. And I need to reconnect with old friends in places I play 3 or 4 times a year. So I travel. A lot. I travel frequently within the region (a sort of radius of 9 or so hours' drive from my home) and I make several trips to either coast each year.

I've stumbled into licensing music to film and TV. That helps with a bit of income and is really good advertizing (I don't have an advertizing budget). And I've developed a few music relationships with other players that can help add to my performance schedule. All of these things help keep me growing and pay the mortgage.

I've also learned the on-line tools for promo and music distribution. CDBaby - gets me to all of the MP3 Services (iTunes, etc) and CDBaby has been a great partner for selling CD around the world on-line. Myspace and Youtube are very helpful promotion tools. And FaceBook has been surprisingly helpful for direct communication with friends, music partners and (I hate to use the word) fans.