During the early 1960s, most coffeehouses in my area paid something like $15.00 a night, and the one I sang in a lot had me singing three evenings a week (Thurs., Fri., and Sat.). Many coffeehouses had singers only on Friday and Saturday.

That's $2,340 a year, Conrad. Out of which I had to pay for gasoline to get to and from the place. And income tax. Yes, I had to file a Schedule C with my 1040, because I was earning money working as an independent contractor (to the coffeehouse).

Singing at "The Place Next Door" three nights a week, and ignoring such things as expenses, it would have taken me something like 427 years to earn a million dollars.

Yeah, Conrad, we're all rolling in wealth!

Don Firth