Rosetree, the fact that I played instrumentals actually worked in my favor as there were lots of solo performers using arrangers and singing (as well as solo guitar player/singers) and their playing skills, although fine for accompanying their vocals, weren't quite up to snuff for playing a full evening of dinner/background music.

Like you, I've often played a combination of solo 88 key electronic piano (in my case, a Yamaha P-85/95), along with arranger instrument, for those venues wanting "a piano player" but I eventually won them over to mostly arranger type play.

Proper control of volume was the key to keeping these gigs, as well, of course, as a carefully chosen repertoire, especially concerning the arranger...my drum volumes (and kit choices) were just as important as the genre of music.

The gigs paid as well as (or often, more than) what vocalist/players were and are getting, and, as said earlier, competition was not as fierce. Myself, and another arranger player, managed to garner most of the available jobs, and often we subbed for one another if either of us wasn't able to make the gig for one reason or another.

The beauty of playing instrumental music is that we aren't subject to the woes of laryngitis and other voice affecting issues and age (and it's relation to the voice) is not nearly as much of a setback.

Ian