I recently played a gig at a social/dinner. Initially I played instrumentals while guests arrived, then during dinner I did the same. After dinner I started with the vocals and some upbeat tunes and the crowd came alive, the reaction was completely different to just instrumentals. I attribute it to the vocals.

One of the most successful one man band and band leaders now retired that I know in my home state told me when he first started singing with his band the club owner told him if you continue to sing I WILL FIRE YOU. He didn’t stop singing, got fired, never gave up and years later he was hands down one of the busiest musicians I know. He gave up his very lucrative sales career in the wholesale furniture business to become a full time musician, he did real well. I will add he was also a savvy business man that helped attribute to his success as well.