In 2023, a 30-year-old musician earned over $176,000 playing music at weddings, making almost $750 an hour.

In 2023, a 30-year-old musician earned over $176,000 playing music at weddings, making almost $750 an hour.
In 2023, a 30-year-old musician earned over $176,000 playing music at weddings, making almost $750 an hour.

Jason Nelson had a passion for music but was unaware that he could make a career out of it.

A New Jersey native who began playing piano and saxophone as a child, later did impromptu performances for friends during college. He recalls playing during a friend's 20th birthday, surprising her with his saxophone. He was well-received.

Nelson, after finishing college, worked full-time in marketing. However, he received an invitation to play at a friend's sister's wedding, which sparked the idea of pursuing a career in live music events. He then booked more wedding gigs and eventually left his marketing job in September 2020 to focus on playing saxophone and piano full-time.

Nelson performs an average of 80 events annually, mostly weddings but also some bar and bat mitzvahs and birthday parties. He charges around $750 per hour and earned over $176,000 in 2023 alone.

Nelson offers advice for those pursuing a live music career.

Find your music niche

Nelson would suggest that individuals focus on playing the music that truly resonates with them.

He frequently listens to mainstream dance music and house music remixes and mash-ups with popular songs, and he tries to figure out how to best play along with them at weddings.

He has declined playing jazz during cocktail hour and suggested other musicians, such as R&B or funk, for events.

Listening to music that's popular but not your preference can lead to exhaustion in the future, as you'll eventually lose interest in it, according to him.

Make friends, not just a network

Nelson recommends you network to create real relationships, not just work connections.

Instead of asking for advice from a fellow entertainer online, it's better to connect with people you genuinely want to get to know. You can start by saying something like, "Hey, what you're doing is really cool," and express your interest in learning more about their work. This way, you can potentially collaborate on an event together.

When friends ask me for recommendations on other vendors, I want to suggest my friends.

And they do exactly the same thing for him.

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