"If I bet $100 would I win if I said I was the only Person on this whole forum that listened to every note of the guy at the bottom of the staircase" - Boo


Sorry Boo, but you'd lose (I'll collect later ). I loved the duo "at the bottom of the staircase" and listened to every note. I play those tunes, just not at the skill level of these guys. Furthermore, I don't look down on them because they aren't part of the "1%". I know that here in the good ol' USA, we tend to measure success and accomplishment by how much money someone makes. I think that has a lot to do with how the rest of the world views us.

We throw around that word ENTERTAINER as though it's an excuse for not being musically accomplished. Maybe these subway performers will get 'discovered' and maybe they won't, but at least there is a CHANCE. Getting 'discovered' playing in a nursing home....well I wouldn't bet the farm on it .

Truth is, I believe (and I could be wrong - usually am) that almost anybody with a nice smile, an outgoing personality, can carry a tune (more or less), operate an mp3 player (or an arranger keyboard WITH an mp3 player), could teach himself how to 'entertain' in a nursing home (there are quite a few 'entertainers' playing in nursing homes for FREE). On the other hand, regardless to what you think of their ability to make a living playing music, guys like the two at the bottom of the staircase are one in ten thousand in the population (as opposed to a 'dime a dozen').

All the guys mentioned in one of the posts above (Sinatra, Como, Dean Martin, Ferante and Ticher, etc.) were great singers or great musicians first, before they became legendary entertainers. All great singers and musicians don't go on to become entertainers and are content to just be the best musicians and singers they can be and spend a lifetime perfecting their chosen craft. Sorry, but I admire these people, way, way more than those who only view it as a business.

Let's face it. This board has very little to do with music (in the purest sense of the word). Obviously there are exceptions and the board is clearly split between those who 'play for pay' and those who do not. Naturally, the interests of these two groups are not always in sync, even with equipment (a home player is not overly concerned about a keyboards weight).

But, as Gary said, "sorry to somewhat derail the thread", and some of the performances were certainly worth listening to.

chas