As I continue to digest the comments on this thread, it becomes more and more clear that we have people of varied areas of experience, and it is interesting to hear the perspective from the full time players vs the hobby players and dabblers. (I am a dabbler.)

As I sit here during my lunch break, at I job I enjoy very much (network support tech at a very large international company), I am listening to the CD of Sarah McLachlin's Mirrorball tour. This is one of my favorite songwriters, as well as one of my favorite performers, probably not hurt by the fact that she is a MAJOR babe, but it truly is her music that draws me to her. And I mentioned that because listening to the music from a tour I saw in person, it makes me think about all the club owners and musicians that spout the partyline statement "People don't want to hear originals."

Hmmm.... they don't?

People flock to see artists play originals. They are called concerts. 15-20,000 people at a time go to hear "originals". The difference is that Sarah McLachlin's originals are masterpieces and mine suck. People will be thrilled to hear GOOD originals. Every song ever written is an original to somebody.

I occasionally visit some of the local songwriter showcase nights and I hear a lot of crap. However, I usually hear maybe 2 decent songs a night. I have performed at a couple and hope I contributed to that group of 2.... The key difference here is that when you go to songwriter night, you are expecting original music. When you go to Bob's Bar and Grille you expect to hear "that song list". This is why you will never see me at Bob's Bar and Grille. If I am interested in hearing Free Bird (I am not) I will play it at home or in my car. I am in the group that would prefer a 90 minute set of mediocre original songs than 3 hours of flawlessly performed cover music. I make the conscious choice to be in that group, and as has become a popular phrase here, "mileage may vary".

So to those who want to play "that song list", you certainly can make a living doing it. The choice becomes do you WANT to play that song list, or do you have to. I make a decent living sitting here at this desk. That affords me the opportunity to say "If I ever DO decide to play again, it will be on my terms, not theirs." I would be interested in booking only 45-50 minute shows opening for people at venues one level above Bob's Bar and Grille that are designed to be concert venues, not restaurants that have music after the all you can eat fish special is done. There is a great need for good copy bands, and I have friends who play in them, but I don't go see them play. I do go to about 4-5 places that are more in the "concert" domain, and I watch skilled but financially stressed musicians play their original music, music that matters to them and thus comes from the heart. That stuff I have on Soundcloud isn't just "songs". They are stories about my life. Many Years Ago, Here Goes Nuttin', Do It All Again... those songs, to a casual listener, are just songs. To me, those are the story of when I quit drinking, that I know to not try getting married again, yet I might have done it a couple of years ago while I was involved with a girl who dumped me. And that dumping prompted Do It All Again, I'm The One, The One That Got Away... those songs matter to ME, and performing those songs is an experience much different from playing Mustang Sally and Gimme Three Steps. This is why I love Sarah's work so much. Can't you just HEAR the pain dripping out of those lyrics? This is why I wonder what happened to Diane Warren that she can turn out those painful love songs non stop the way she does. That is not innate. That comes from experience.

The part about "filling the dance floor" is meaningless to me. I prefer to play in a venue that doesn't even HAVE a dance floor. You are there to listen to me tell you stories. Save your dance moves for Soul Train.

But to make this as on topic as possible, sure you can make a living playing music. (Or selling drugs. Or turning tricks. Or selling handguns underground....) When music is your living your perspective is different and you do what you have to do. When music is your toy and you don't rely on it to pay your mortgage, your perspective is not likely the same as if you did. What I don't see is how I could go up and play cover music and try to sell CDs that are NOTHING like what I would be playing live. How many disappointed people would there be to think they are getting "Brown Eyed Girl" because they heard it live, pop the CD into their car on the way home from Bob's Bar and Grille and 12 country songs come out? Again just my opinion, but I believe you HAVE to play your originals to give them at least a taste of what is on your CD. (And I would NEVER record a cover song.) Once I have your 12 bucks (and I'll give it to you for 10 if you want me to sign it... ), it has long been sent to one bank or another to pay a bill... no refunds!