And then they wonder why Musicians are so concerned about thier checks........

[QCdrummer]

I was asked to play a service and was told I would be given compensation following the service.   Which is only right when you ask a musician to not only play the service, but also come to the rehearsal as well.   

I don't charge a certain fee and I don't require the check sitting on the snare by the time I arrive like others may do. But I certainly see why they do it!

I did all I was asked to do. Showed up on time for rehearsal and service, even though both started late and I stayed until the end. After service I slowly packed all my gear up and waited...........and waited.............and waited.............nothing. I just left. They all saw me (Deacons/Pastor/) and they didn't forget, but for whatever reason, it just didn't happen.

Pentecostal churches have a bad reputation for this. Thier services require alot more from the musicans than other denominations. Yet other denominations really take care of you in terms of compensation.

I'm not going to let a couple of bad attitudes spoil the bunch. I'm still going to keep my same attitude. But now I see why there are some musicians out there who won't do anything until thier check is in thier hand.

[churchyreal]

This is very hypocritical for me to say but I think you should ask whoever is in charge for the money. I don't usually advocate this because I'm one those types that's not aggressive when it comes for asking for money owed to me or whatever way you put it.

I also believe that you shouldn't have to ask for your pay. If you've been promised pay then you should recieve that and not have to remind them of it.

Personally I would ask who's in charge and then after that don't play for that particular church anymore. That's bad stewardship!

[QCdrummer]

I just didn't want to go through a line of people to get whatever they were going to give me, It's just too time consuming. Most organized churches have somebody in place to take care of all this stuff beforehand so you shouldn't even have to go around chasing people.

[dude-on-drums]

Now hear this!!!    If you dont receive a bad check from a church at least twice a year, well then got-dangit you aint a real gospel musician!!!   

[betnich]

Now hear this!!!    If you dont receive a bad check from a church at least twice a year, well then got-dangit you aint a real gospel musician!!!   

Ooo! Too true!



Seriously, most churches have a secretary or bookkeeper who is supposed to take care of these details. The good part is that you could hound the church office during the week for it. The bad part is that most church checks require two signatures, usually the bookkeeper and the senior Pastor or Minister, and they could give you the runaround by saying 'the check is being processed by the bank' or in the mail.


I would agree with not playing for that church again until you recieve payment for the last time, and also get a check in advance on the day you play...

[JFunky]

I was asked to play a service and was told I would be given compensation following the service.   Which is only right when you ask a musician to not only play the service, but also come to the rehearsal as well.   

I don't charge a certain fee and I don't require the check sitting on the snare by the time I arrive like others may do. But I certainly see why they do it!

I did all I was asked to do. Showed up on time for rehearsal and service, even though both started late and I stayed until the end. After service I slowly packed all my gear up and waited...........and waited.............and waited.............nothing. I just left. They all saw me (Deacons/Pastor/) and they didn't forget, but for whatever reason, it just didn't happen.

Pentecostal churches have a bad reputation for this. Thier services require alot more from the musicans than other denominations. Yet other denominations really take care of you in terms of compensation.

I'm not going to let a couple of bad attitudes spoil the bunch. I'm still going to keep my same attitude. But now I see why there are some musicians out there who won't do anything until thier check is in thier hand.

...man this type of stuff happens everywhere.  I remember seeing an episode of The People's Court similar to this. lol   Okay, as soon as you hear "we're going to have a check for you" you should've gone into musician business mode and pulled out a contract.  Why?  I bet the Pianist got payed.

Ooo! Too true!



Seriously, most churches have a secretary or bookkeeper who is supposed to take care of these details. The good part is that you could hound the church office during the week for it. The bad part is that most church checks require two signatures, usually the bookkeeper and the senior Pastor or Minister, and they could give you the runaround by saying 'the check is being processed by the bank' or in the mail.


I would agree with not playing for that church again until you recieve payment for the last time, and also get a check in advance on the day you play...

...you're right about checks having two signatures.

[3rd-Day]

Real Gospel Musicians have REAL Stories!

[dude-on-drums]

If you havnt had to threaten the entire deacon board to get your check, you aint a real gospel musician lol

[3rd-Day]

If you have never been required to be in your place at a certain time, be required to play all songs, required to dress a certain way, required to be at the venue 2 hours prior to the program starting (which is on a Saturday)for a soundcheck and accountability, required to be under the direction of an idiot with a condescending attitude, played your behind off, was very cooperative and professional and even went the extra mile, watited patiently for your check after the program ended, recieved it almost and hour later..............................and then told to you had to WAIT until the following THURSDAY to cash it, then John Brownint, You aint a real gospel musician! LOL!!

[3rd-Day]

If you have never had to win a thumb wrestling match against a trustee after having both of your hands submerged in a bucket of ice water for three hours just so you can get your check, You aint a real gospel musician.

[jonesl78]

If you have never gotten a check and had the decimal point in the wrong place, you're not a real gospel musician.

If you broke and checked the mail everyday because you were promised that your check would be mailed; and it never came, you're not a real gospel musician.

If you were suppose to play at a church on sunday and it was cancelled because the pastor spent the weekend in jail, then you are not a real gospel musician.

[dude-on-drums]

If you never been taken out to eat by your pastor to cut the cost of how much he owes you, then you aint a real gospel musician! Lol

[3rd-Day]

If you never had to forfeit your two week salary so that you can pay the bond to get your pastor (who was caught speeding with a suspended license) out of jail, you aint a real gospel musician.

[jonesl78]

If you have never had a pastor write you a letter stating that if you stick with him, he will pay all the money that is owed to you and he never fulfills his promise, then you are not a real gospel musician.

If you have never popped up at a service to collect money from a pastor and find out later that there are three other musicians there for the same reason, then you are not a real musician.  lol!!

If you have never been asked to play at a guest church for a pastor and found out that he had simultaneously asked an entire band to back him, while looking stupid with your gear in your hand, you're not a real musician. lol!

[dude-on-drums]

If you haven't recorded on at least 3 gospel albums that never come out and you never got paid for, then you aint a real gospel musician lol

If you were supposed to go on tour "but what happen was..." then you aint a real gospel musician lol

[3rd-Day]

If you haven't recorded on at least 3 gospel albums that never come out and you never got paid for, then you aint a real gospel musician lol
If you were supposed to go on tour "but what happen was..." then you aint a real gospel musician lol

LOL!

If you havent been promised new gear as soon as the church finishes paying for...!!!???...then you aint a real gospel musician. LOL!

[stiksnmypocket]

if haven't been "summoned" by the "Bishop" to come play at the biggest church in that city and gives you the rate of pay, you don't get it that day, cuz the checks will be cut on Monday from there church office, then Monday they say its in the mail only to never receive for a whole month and then the M.O.M tells you he'll give you cash the next time you see him, then you pop up on him b/c he stops answering your fone calls, you find out the church is in town ministering at another church, his eyes pops out of his head b/c he sees you walk thru the door and then you pull him to the side, he fumbles around in his pocket searching for nothn, comes up empty handed then ask the bass player to borrow some money, which the bass player only had $40 cash, he hands you that and says thats all the church could come up with, in which you are $210 short of what you were supposed to get....lol, then months later you find out the M.O.M never paid the bass player back his $40....lololololololol    now that my friends (if u followed it) is how its done if you're a real church musician.....lololol

[musician4life]

If you've never had to remind yourself, because of all the deviant behavior going on around you, that you are playing for a gospel choir/group...

...you aren't a real gospel musician.

[3rd-Day]

if haven't been "summoned" by the "Bishop" to come play at the biggest church in that city and gives you the rate of pay, you don't get it that day, cuz the checks will be cut on Monday from there church office, then Monday they say its in the mail only to never receive for a whole month and then the M.O.M tells you he'll give you cash the next time you see him, then you pop up on him b/c he stops answering your fone calls, you find out the church is in town ministering at another church, his eyes pops out of his head b/c he sees you walk thru the door and then you pull him to the side, he fumbles around in his pocket searching for nothn, comes up empty handed then ask the bass player to borrow some money, which the bass player only had $40 cash, he hands you that and says thats all the church could come up with, in which you are $210 short of what you were supposed to get....lol, then months later you find out the M.O.M never paid the bass player back his $40....lololololololol    now that my friends (if u followed it) is how its done if you're a real church musician.....lololol

 

If you have never been promised to be paid "after the album comes out and blows up", you aint a real gospel musician! LOL!

[dude-on-drums]

You see brotha?  Soon we will have 5000 members and then...---if the following words of this sentence does'nt sound like blah blah blah blah blah blah, then dag-nabbit you aint a real gospel musician!!!  LMBO