I Wish the Internet was Invented When I was a Kid

Damn you Al Gore for being so late with your invention! Otherwise, I could have found out from the US Government that rock stars:

What these workers do

A rock musician may compose, arrange, and play music. This can be done either alone or as part of a group. Additionally, they sing in record studios and on stage. They also perform on television and in movies.

Not all their work is performing for audiences. They also make records and CD's. All musicians spend a lot of time practicing and rehearsing.


What the job is like

Rock musicians record songs and music videos in sound studios. They also appear "live" on radio and television. Rock musicians and groups often go on concert tours to big cities in the U.S. They sometimes perform in major cities around the world. This requires a lot of travel. They often perform at night and on weekends. All this can be tiring.

Rock musicians work with a lot of different people. These include people in the music business, such as other musicians and road crews. They have to deal with sponsors and backers. They rely on agents to find them jobs. They need people to market them. They also work with movie stars and other famous people.

Rock musicians most often work indoors, but some may perform in outdoor concerts. The many hot lights used on stage can be uncomfortable. Rock music is very loud and causes hearing loss. There can be danger from fans that become excited. Also, rock stars may be around people who use drugs.

Many musicians find only part-time work or are unemployed between performances. They often work other jobs while waiting for their next performance.

The life of a rock musician is not a quiet one. Many jobs are in New York, Los Angeles, or Nashville. These cities are where entertainment and record studios are most often found.


Jobs

Musicians, singers, and related workers held about 240,000 jobs in 2000. However, rock musicians made up only a tiny portion of all musicians.


Preparing for the job

To be a rock musician, you must have natural music talent. People who become musicians often learn an instrument at an early age. Some of the most popular rock instruments are the electric guitar, keyboard, and drums. It helps any musician to learn to play more than one instrument. Many songwriters now write music on computers, so these skills might be handy. Also, skills in song writing, singing, or dancing may help to make your rock band popular.

School choirs and musicals provide good early vocal training. Also, rock musicians can gain good practice playing in a school community band, or with a group of friends. It helps to grab every chance to appear in front of others. You may be able to perform at weddings or other events.

Although voice training helps most singers, including rock musicians, creating or copying a popular style of music is likely to determine the success of a band. Rock musicians have to be able to go on stage in front of lots of people.

The future

Competition for all musician jobs is keen. That is especially true for rock musicians. Talent alone is no guarantee of success. The glamour and very high earnings in this job attract many people. You need a lot of endurance. You must also have good luck. Very few people earn enough money to support themselves as rock musicians.

The number of jobs for musicians should grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2010. But most will not be rock musicians. Almost all new jobs will be in other music occupations, including orchestras and music teachers. Many jobs will be to replace others who leave because they cannot earn enough.

Pay

Earnings depend on how popular a performer is. Half of all musicians earned between $19,590 and $59,330 a year in 2000. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $13,250. The highest 10 percent made more than $88,640. But musicians often have to hold down other jobs (known as "day jobs") while they're building up their careers. The most successful rock stars can make much more than the earnings listed here.

You can also find information for kids on being a Disk [sic] Jockey, Dancer, Photographer, Cartoonist, and (what every child wants to be when he/she grows up) an Archivist/Curator.

God bless the US Government. Giving hope to children nationwide.