Originally Posted By: bobcflatpicker
To me it's a reminder of how many people there are out there who could put the well known artists to shame if they were just given a chance.


Unfortunately the first prerequisite is that you have to be young and cute. There are a few here who are outstanding but they will never leave Cleveland.

You have to sacrifice almost to the level of selling your soul to Satan to succeed. As soon as women decide they want kids, their musical life is over. Sure it is possible to have kids and tour, and many have done it. But unless you are at Enormodome level you aren't making the money to have a nanny travel with you, have a qualified educator travel with you to "road school" the kids, and somehow maintain the balance of home and road. Can you even imagine the stress levels? (And I express this thesis based on single mothers, because face it, most are anymore.) Benatar and Giraldo did it but they had a lot of help.

Every city has a Holiday Inn level singer who has talent, but being able to sing isn't enough. There is one here who sings really well, but she is 4'10" tall and wide and not attractive even a little bit, so she is never going to make it. Again, sad to say, but people hear with their eyes first. Then you move on to material. You can go back in time and tell me about Sinatra, Anne Murry, Helen Reddy and many singers who recorded all cover material, but this is 2020. You need your own material. Period. Non songwriters will argue that point to the death but unless you are a Bonamassa guy who plays old blues standards at that ethereal level, you need your own music. Whether you write it or you hire writers, you simply won't make it as a cover artist beyond your local level. I call them "Wives and girlfriends" bands. And if your goal is to work at the machine shop all week and play on Saturday nights, great. That goal is not hard to attain. If you aspire to more, sell your soul to the music gods, quit the machine shop, and play with your band ALL. DAY. LONG. Of course that thing called money gets in the way, but that's the price you pay for a shot at the Enormodome.

It is simply much deeper than talent.

And then shall we open the can of worms about guys like Tom Bukovac, first call session guitar player in Nashville, who HATES touring and will only take an occasional touring gig if it is really attractive to him? Like he tours with Joe Walsh when bands can tour. He does that because of the Cleveland connection where Joe was a hero in the early 70s and Tom is from Cleveland. He doesn't want the spotlight or to play the Enormodome. Vegas size venues, and short tours as he has 2 kids at home.

So I guess the way to answer the question, as this thread starts to wind down, they don't get national or worldwide attention because they aren't national or worldwide. You have to tour around the world to beknown around the world. And nobody is going to sponsor a tour of any notoriety for somebody singing a mixed bag of 22 cover songs. No matter how good they are.

I am using the new 1040XTRAEZ form this year. It has just 2 lines.

1. How much did you make in 2023?
2. Send it to us.