Thanks everyone for your comments - I'll happily lap up the praise, and accept the criticisms.

Lucky, I do in fact have a lot of trouble with Sway (probably one of the reasons I do it in a "wacky" way. We do the Buble version (not Dino's) which has a key change towards the end, so it DOES get higher, and curiously enough I have trouble with that(!) I've even tried starting the song lower (!!)

My partner (Rose) is, I think it's obvious, the much stronger singer - I'm decent (and getting better) but she just puts me in the shade when she REALLY gets going.

After years of being in Bands (originals for me being the co-writer and drummer/percussionist) and the classic "lead singer" for Rose, we teamed up in 2001 and turned professional in 2004.
You're right, we both work hard, but in my case I (genuinely) think I'm not a naturally great musician, and I have to "Practice and plan" to make it look easy and get away with what standard I am at now - there's a lot of players AND singers out there as good or much better than me, I know that - but I'm honestly getting better every single gig.

I really have some big opinions on the topic discussed here, but I'll just say this relating to ourselves, and definitely music, and working "local entertainers" in General:

We've been fortunate enough to get a lot of work, and things are going great, but I don't really think it's so much WHAT we do, but HOW we do it.

Ok what I mean is this:

We really give a damn about what we do and still love doing it, and we really do feel privileged to be on stage and think that the audience deserves to "see some sweat" at a gig.

So many acts around our parts, (and perhaps around OTHER parts) don't seem to CARE about what they do. I think that's the main thing I see these days. I don't know about the whole "dumbing down of music" thing - I've heard plenty of bad songs of the 30's 40's era, absolute Pap in the 50's - self indulgent tripe in the 60's & 70's - PLEASE don't get me started about the 80's, and right up to today - as well as great songs from ALL those eras - yes including today. As I get a little older, and perform both old AND new songs, I find my taste getting WIDER, not narrower, and I appreciate just about any Genre (except for Metal and most of it's Sub Genres - Death, Thrash, Goth etc) and in the end, for me, it comes down to the performer and the song.

I think there's crap around today, but there was crap in EVERY era. I also think that it's too "early" to denounce today's music without some 20/20 Hindsight and time. "The good old days" didn't become "the good old days" right away, if you know what I mean.

Whilst I don't fully agree with Lucky's point of view, I understand (and agree with) his frustration at Acts that feel good enough is "good enough". I personally work my arse off because I really believe any minute now someone is going to tap me on the shoulder and say "Hey! What are YOU doing up here on stage?? Get off!" but I see a lot of acts who seem to think that they have a right to be there, hard working or not.

I have strong feelings about this, and I know not everyone shares what I think, but I'm pretty sure one of the first problems with music & performers of any era that aren't up to snuff can be traced back to a lack of love and passion for what they do.

Anyone agree?