I agree with Russ in that we are talking semantics ... Some of us look at an "entertainer" as one who engages the audience with a certain "shtick" if you will, while if a 'musician' doesn't do that he/she is not an entertainer ... personally, I think that, once again, it comes down to the venue ... If someone like Russ is playing in a quiet setting for people who are there to listen to him, and the audience enjoys what they are hearing, then he has entertained them and is an entertainer ... Would he be as successful in front of an AC crowd ... maybe not, but does his style make him any less an entertainer than Fran, Donny, Gary, DonM or some of the others ... not in his venue it doesn't, and the style of the aforementioned may not work at all in Russ' venue ...

As long as the customer goes home happy, we have ENTERTAINED !!! ... we may all do it in different ways, but that doesn't make one way 'better' than another ...

Personally, I have seen many entertainers who were not 'musicians' ... but rarely have I seen a musician who was not an entertainer in some venue ...

To paraphrase Donny "Whatever works, Baby!!!"

BTW ... Having heard his work, I can attest to Russ' "musicianship", and working as many gigs as he does, he must also be an "entertainer" ...

And having seen Donny at work, I can attest to his being an "entertainer" and a "musician" ....

Sorry, Fran ... I just haven't caught your act yet....

t.



[This message has been edited by tony mads usa (edited 11-09-2006).]