Originally posted by travlin'easy:
Diki,
I must respectfully disagree with you on this one. I started out as a lead guitar player and vocalist at age 17, which was 50 years ago. I was rockin' crowds at niteclubs in Barcelona, Spain, Naples, Italy, Rhodes, Greece, Norfolk, Virginia and lots of other locations for nearly four years. I performed with a relatively large group (5-piece country and R&R band).
It was a wonderful experience, we had a great time together, but when I left them I switched to a drum machine, mic and guitar. Yep, it was me, a OMB in that smoke-filled bar room with lots of drunks dancing and singing along with my performances.
When arranger keyboards came along, I switched and never looked back. The same audiences that I performed to for many, many years loved the NEW ME! They loved the sounds, loved the songs, loved the vocals and the dancefloors were always packed. That was a long time ago, and the only thing that has changed is the technology that makes the arranger keyboard an incredible tool.
I performed today for about 50 seniors, folks that were not much older than myself. An 80-year-old guy in the audience said to me "Wow! I loved everything you did, your voice is incredible, and that machine you're playing is beyond anything I've ever heard."
I'll be the first to admit I'm not a polished player. The arranger keyboard, however, allows me to be very creative, do things I could never do as a solo guitar player/vocalist, the things I now do. Without the arranger keyboard I would still be perched upon a barstool, playing my guitar and singing my heart out for $150 a night.
In response to your post pertaining to the keyboards, most of the performers on this forum, and most other forums I actively participate on, these are NOT home keyboards in the hands of a pro entertainer. Yes, some have built-in speakers, most have 61 keys, they're lightweight and not all that expensive. It's not the keyboard, but instead it's the performer. The kids on American Idol are incredible performers--that's why they are where they are. BTW: I just read where Carie (spelling) Underwood made $12-million this year.
Cheers,
Gary
Gary it's not Diki ...
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