Dave, for entertainers, you're dead on in your observations. That's because the majority of the rewards, other than the financial part come from pleasing your audiences and the resulting positive feedback.

For non-entertainers, it's a little more complicated. That's because the majority of the reward comes from the satisfaction of continuous improvement and the good feeling when you successfully (that means competently) play increasingly challenging material.

Sadly, most non-entertainers, if they stay in the business, end up playing themselves out of a job, or "selling out". In my case, I find satisfaction from producing film and film scores, and choose to play background music at restaurants because of my inability and lack of interest in entertaining. I play "second fiddle" to a ham sandwich, or work for nothing at a jazz club which pays next to nothing.

I wish I were 25% pf the the entertainer you are. I'm not. Therefore, I either have to be satisfied with lots fewer jobs and the ones I get being lower paying, or selling out and
playing material I just can't stand. I won't do that....no George Jones...no Jimmy Buffet...EVER, and the list goes on.

Understand, I'm certainly not saying that you're wrong in your approach at all. You're DEAD ON for entertainers. It's just that, for some of us...probably a small number...we can't do it that way. At best, we "sell out" to a certain degree. I certainly do, and I'm not proud of that.

Be well, and enjoy. I actually like some of the Beach Boys music, although, in the very early 60's, with guys like Dick Dale around, the Beach Boys did great nationally, but couldn't get jobs at home. That was not for lack of talent, but some thought they weren't real surfers and didn't play real surf music.

Russ


[This message has been edited by captain Russ (edited 06-05-2010).]