Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?

Subject: Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?
From: Wesley S
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 09:42 AM

I have a good friend who is moving to Nashville. Currently he's in a band with an up and coming country singer. They headline at most clubs and have been the opening act for two major artists that play stadiums across the country. While making contacts he's made friends with – and is being mentored by one of the band members of a major country artist. He's been promised that when he moves to Nashville that he'll get as many studio gigs as he can handle. My friend is a perfect fit for a studio musician – he sight reads like a champ, and he's as versatile a musician as I've met anywhere. Jazz, classical, blues – you name it.

Just curious how much these guys can make? I assume it's an hourly pay scale. But I also doubt that these studios take care of withholding and medical insurance. He plans to keep his steady gig with the country singer and do studio jobs on the side. Any idea what his potential might be? And let me add - it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. He's got the best work ethic of any musician I've ever met.

Subject: RE: Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?
From: Mark Ross
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 11:07 AM

If it's a union gig(and in Nashville it probably is), you would have to talk with the AFM local there to see what the pay scale is.

Mark Ross

Subject: RE: Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?
From: Lanfranc
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 01:10 PM

I thought that you had to start really early - don't they "get work before they're two"?

Alan

Subject: RE: Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?
From: GUEST
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 02:02 PM

Not much.

Even the most requested session players (Brent Mason, Paul Franklin, etc.) have to have additional sources of income.

Better musicians than your friend have ended up washing dishes in Nashville.

Subject: RE: Nashville Cats - How much are they paid?
From: M.Ted
Date: 19 Nov 07 - 03:20 PM

Here is the current info on AFM Sound Studio Scale from local 47 It's in LA--all I could find on short notice. Benefits are paid for, from your wages, by way of the union. An initiation fee is required.

The hourly rates look enormous, but remember that your friend will not work every day. And, as our GUEST has pointed out, no matter how good you think your friend is, there are many, many, better, with better connections.

As to the promised work, well, promises are one thing, contracts are another. It's show business. A few people do well, some do all right, and a lot just hang on. A microcosm of life--But given the obligatory boilerplate, best of luck to your friend--he sounds like a great guy.