I learned keyboard from a Fake Book (!)

I guess I'm a vocalist first and instrumentalist second.

The answer to your question from my end is interesting:

I try to recreate the sound of the original popular recording as much as possible (many audiences want this) - believe it or not, it's a skill in itself to recreate live the recording.

Where we put our own stamp on it IS in the vocals, i.e. doing great "live vocal" versions of the song and even changing lyrics humourously...........occasionally!

I've also found the younger the audience, the more they demand an EXACT reproduction of the original hit.

This way of working is probably a lot different to most of you, and the more accomplished musicians amongst you would probably find our gigs a little boring musically...oh well.