I grew up in music. My father played in a country band and I have three siblings that are all excellent musicians. From those early days, Nashville was always used as a measuring stick for anyone aspiring to success as a muso. If someone from my neck of the woods (Oklahoma) knew someone in Nashville who was “in the biz”, he was well connected. If they went to Nashville and recorded a song, it was a BIG deal. If they actually moved to Nashville, they had officially made it. While we all know that simply moving there is not instant success, it is a really large step in the right direction…if your ready.

So, there it is…the big, fat question. Are you ready? Let’s do a readiness checklist.

Can you play?

This is 99% of getting a gig and 50% of keeping it. ( I’ll explain that in another post) Most likely there is a Nashville act playing within a hundred miles of you in the coming weeks. Go to the show. Try to shake off any biases you hold toward your own playing. Try to ignore your insecurities. Watch the guy that’s playing your instrument. Can you do your counterpart’s job? Be honest with yourself. If you don’t believe you can, don’t be disheartened. Go home and practice until you can.

Do you have the resources to survive?

To be a starving artist may sound alluring, but, until you’re an artist, you’re just starving. It’s not fun. Save some money before you make the move. Low end apartments start at around $600 a month. Have a few months rent put away so you can be focused on other things.

If you succeed, do you know what to expect?

That might seem a strange question, but I think very few road musicians know what to expect when they get their first gig. When I got the call, I thought I was going to be rich. I thought that all of the guys I saw playing on television or in arenas were rich. Sadly, I’m not rich. You can make a comfortable living, but you will not get rich as a road musician.

If you get your first gig with a baby act (new artist), you’re likely to do more shows than you would with an established artist. Some new artists do upward of 200 shows a year which, with travel days, equates to 250-300 days on the road. An established artist will do less shows, but pay more. For you, that means you’ll make approximately the same money, but have more time for family or side projects or blogging.

Road work is seasonal. You can expect at least a couple of months off each year, starting around December. Even more when it comes time for the artist to work on a new record. (You know you’re not playing on the record, right?)

Do you know the Nashville number system?

I know…I’m beating a dead horse. That’s how important this is. Inevitably, you will end up in a situation where you need to read a chart. Drummers, you think you’re out on this one? Not true. I haven’t worked with a drummer that wasn’t able to play to a number chart. If the artist comes up an hour before the show and says “I want to play this song in the show today”, the band leader will write a chart and hand them out. He’s not gonna write a drum chart. You’ll being writing notes all over a good, old number chart. Whatever your instrument, if you have any aspirations of doing session work, this is all the more important. Read more about it here.

Do you have the right gear?

This one is definitely not black and white. If you can get great guitar tone out of a Japanese tele and a Peavey Bandit, then I say go for it. However, it better be truly great because Nashville is a town full of ears. Most waiters can tell you if your compressor is too squashed or if your snares are too loose. You be the judge, but know that you’ll face a new level of scrutiny when you get here.

Besides the list, be sure to think about the details that are personal to your life. Details that I can’t possibly know to mention here. How will this affect your marriage or your children? What is your family situation? Are you taking unnecessary chances with your credit? You get the picture.

If you survived the checklist and your fire is still intact, it may be time for a change of scenery.