People go a restaurant where music is played to be entertained. They love to hear old songs from their youth, and memories of great times, old flames, and experiences of the past. Some prefer to hear a guitarist/vocalist strum and pick out some great version of old tunes. Others like to hear the full sound of the old recording complete with signature licks and riffs. Still others like to hear jazzy non vocal versions of old hits. The point is that there are many different ways to entertain a crowd.

To label entertainers as karaoke because they have more backing tracks than bass and drums, is just wrong in many ways. Fist off it demeans the great drummers and bassist through the decades, as if their contribution to all those great recordings was/is unimportant. Look at our beloved Silvertones here, we all praised him for gigging again after a long hiatus. So are all of you saying he is nothing but a karaoke singer cause he plays the lowly bass, and records/programs/creates the other instruments. Really? I remember quite a few of you offering support to him, and best wishes. Were they sincere?

You are saying as long as you play the keys, guitars, and or sax you are a true artist, and others are karaoke singers. What of the singer that plays a little guitar, since he can't find venues that will pay a full band he should retire to a life of karaoke bars, and leave the real gigs to you elitist horn/keyboard players?

Come on people, don't label fellow musicians, show some support. If you don't personally dig it fine don't go there for entertainment. If it ain't your cup of tea fine, you get to chose what you personally like. I have a friend who plays a couple nights a week in a Jimmy Buffet tribute band, and on other nights he does a couple rest, where he plays similar flavored tunes with full backing tracks. The guy is very good, and sounds great. He is doing what he loves, and people come from far around to hear him play.

Just remember that we are all trying to refine our art form, and some chose to go a different path than yours. Be careful when you speak down about others path, as there are always some that might not dig your path either, but they just chose not to talk down about it.

If I sound grumpy, i apologize for that, but elitist comments have always bummed me out. Also remember where you are at. the land or auto accompaniment.

Last edited by Robh; 03/13/12 05:20 PM.
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