Raphael Semmes remembers as a boy lining up with other children outside Grenada City Hall to receive a polio vaccination.
The vaccination, which came in the form of a pink sugar cube, was sweet relief for parents, who were fearful their children would contract the virus.
Prior to the vaccinations, polio had infected tens of thousands of children across the country and had led to the closure of pools and the implementation of what would today be called social distancing rules at some establishments.
Today, the Northside guitarist is watching as another virus, COVID-19, rips across the country. This time, more than 240,000 people of all ages have been infected.
Meanwhile, efforts to contain the virus have shuttered restaurants, closed bars and forced eager couples to postpone weddings.
Semmes and other Northside musicians are some of the many economic casualties of the pandemic, temporarily sidelined as gigs and special events have dried up.
“I’ve never seen anything like this. And I’ve lived a long time,” he said
Some musicians haven’t had work in weeks.
Guitarist Barry Leach, who has recorded with Dorothy Moore and Mac McAnally among others, last performed on March 14.
“I’m completely out of work. No clubs, no restaurants, no shows,” said Leach. “I’m just hibernating.”
In March alone, he said he’s had seven canceled events. “Most of my April looks like it’s going to be gone,” he said. “I had 10 or 12 lined up.”
March, April and May are typically the busiest time for local musicians, who are quickly booked for charity fund-raisers, weddings, engagement parties, proms and other functions.
Leach said he’s been able to “squeak by,” thanks to the sales of a DVD he released late last year. “I sold enough of them, which allowed me to conserve my gig money,” he said.
Now, he’s looking at setting up Skype or Zoom account to do some teaching and was hoping to do a live concert from his home. Leach also will be pitching products on his website, barryleach.com.
Patrick Harkins, with the Patrick Harkins Band, is relying on social media to supplement his income.
Harkins, owner of Fondren Guitar, has been hit twice by the coronavirus. In addition to losing gigs, he also had to close his store.
He says at least 15 major events planned for the spring have been canceled.
Harkins and his store employees are now doing online lessons and focusing on online sales. “We have well over 100 students and we’re doing lessons via facetime from instructors’ homes,” he said. “They’ll still be able to keep working, at least from home.”
He actually expects the online business to pick up, as more people look for things to do while the shelter-in-place order is in effect.
Harkins is more worried about his bandmates. The Patrick Harkins Band has six members.
“Those guys count on this as part of their income,” he said. “A lot of musicians are doing concerts online for tips, but that is a small amount for musicians who have to pay their bills.”
Hunter Gibson and his wife Kara have dipped into their savings to make ends meet.
The Madison keyboardist is founder of Hunter and the Gators. The band has up to six members.
The group hasn’t played since March 10.
“Our drummer is the only full-time musician,” Gibson said. “Everyone else has day jobs, so they’re still getting that income.”
Gibson said that even once the outbreak is over, musicians will continue to hurt, in part, because many events were postponed until the fall, rather than canceled. “It’s good that we’re not losing that income, but I can’t book another event for that date,” he said.
Semmes said the outbreak has been just as tough on those who like to come out and enjoy the music.
In addition to private events and parties, Semmes has regular gigs at Fusion Coffee House, Hal & Mal’s and Table 100. When restaurants were forced to close their dining rooms, those events were temporarily nixed as well.
Meanwhile, the annual Township Jazz Festival, an event Semmes helped to start, has been postponed until October.
To cope, Semmes is trying to spend more time practicing. He’s also reaching out to friends he hasn’t spoken to in years.
All the while, he’s trying to put things into perspective and think about the positives.
Under the recently passed coronavirus stimulus bill, for example, gig workers are eligible for federal unemployment.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act, set aside $250 billion for unemployment benefits, and extends those benefits to part-time workers, freelancers, independent contractors, gig workers and the self-employed.
The law allows for up to $600 a week in benefits, in addition to any state benefits, through July 31, as long as the unemployment is a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Said Semmes, “There’s actually gig unemployment musicians can apply for. I don’t think that’s ever happened before.”
