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Rachel Baiman

THE LONG HAUL: The Job Skills You Gain as a Touring Musician

THE LONG HAUL: The Job Skills You Gain as a Touring Musician

As I enter my 30s in full force it has come to my attention that I am increasingly ineligible for employment outside of the music industry. When I graduated from university, I subscribed heavily to the myth sold to my generation that a bachelor's degree would open the

THE LONG HAUL: Remember to Let the Light In

THE LONG HAUL: Remember to Let the Light In

At the beginning of April, I flew out to Portland, Oregon, for a couple of weeks to attend the mixing sessions for my new record with engineer and producer Tucker Martine. In some ways, it felt like the most privileged moment of my career to date, having the budget to

THE LONG HAUL: Travel Sanity Tips from a Touring Musician

THE LONG HAUL: Travel Sanity Tips from a Touring Musician

During the month of August, I spent exactly one night in my own bed. I don’t even know if you could call it that since I only slept for about three hours in between laundry, repacking my suitcase, and waking up at 4 a.m. to catch an early

THE LONG HAUL: Being a Musician Without Touring

THE LONG HAUL: Being a Musician Without Touring

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third of a three-part series in this column exploring financial challenges that affect musicians and their careers. Read Part 1, about how musicians are affected by student debt, here, and Part 2, about musicians and homeownership, here. For many musicians such as myself, touring

THE LONG HAUL: How Do Freelance Musicians Buy Houses?

THE LONG HAUL: How Do Freelance Musicians Buy Houses?

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the second of a three-part series in this column exploring financial challenges that affect musicians and their careers. Read Part 1, about how musicians are affected by student debt, here. In 2013, the Joint Center for Housing Studies at Harvard University published a study on

THE LONG HAUL: Musicians Carry a Heavy Load from Student Debt

THE LONG HAUL: Musicians Carry a Heavy Load from Student Debt

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a three-part series exploring financial challenges that affect musicians and their careers. Musicians and money is an often mysterious space that few know or understand, including, at times, musicians themselves. With Biden’s presidency now in full swing, the United States is

THE LONG HAUL: How to Play Music with Your Partner

THE LONG HAUL: How to Play Music with Your Partner

Since the time we started dating, I’ve taken great pains to make sure that I didn’t accidentally start a band with my now husband, George Jackson. Despite constant questioning about it from promoters and fans, and egging on from our respective parents, I’ve held fast to my