What DonM said! There was a time, particularly when I was performing/entertaining in high end restaurants in Baltimore's Little Italy, when I actually provided a short demonstration so they would know it was me play, and wildly enough, me singing. Yep, it was hard for me to conceive that there were people in those audiences that thought I was lip syncing the damned songs. At first, I really got pissed off when someone said "It's not him - he's lip syncing." After a while, though, I felt it was kinda flattering when they thought I was as good as the original.

Now that I've retired, I think back at all those performances with fond memories. Whether I was playing a 12-string guitar, or a keyboard, it really didn't make any difference to the audience - they just wanted to be entertained. The ladies were there to dance the night away and have a fun time, the guys were there to hook up with the ladies, get plastered, and did their best to...Oh well, you know what I mean. My best musical attribute has always been my vocals, and even at 75 I can still belt out a tune damned near as good as I did 30 years ago. The big difference is I look older now, and the audiences are looking for younger entertainers, though some prefer us old codgers over the youngsters.

Rog, the bottom line is, in this business, you must first be a great entertainer - not a great musician, though it is an excellent attribute. If you are a great entertainer, you will have all the work you want - if not, you will not last long in the entertainment biz.

Good luck,

Gary