So let me get this straight, Gary… you played for a while in a band that, other than you, was neither good enough nor keen enough on music that anyone other than you continued in the profession. Then you also admit that you weren’t really proficient on keyboards or guitar. But fortunately, arrangers arrived on the scene in time for you to do a solo act that requires little skill other than singing and entertaining.

Fair enough, Gary. However, let’s be straight. This isn’t the experience of most pro musicians. Most pro musicians start out playing with players that are far better and more experienced than they are, and learn what a joy that is, and learn to appreciate these more skilled players, and do their level best to improve to at least their level. I feel sad that this wasn’t how your path into playing professionally happened. But it does explain a lot about your attitude towards musicians that aren’t in love with arrangers. It rather sounds like you don’t really have a base of experience to draw from to compare them to. At least, never one that seriously outperformed an arranger!

Your early performing days seem to have soured you on playing with others, and I can’t tell you how sad that makes me feel. You were robbed.

No one gives a rats how much they make as a musician if they ARE a musician. Seems like it is a your primary motivation, and no doubt if you didn’t land a steady entertainer gig, you would have happily joined the rest of your early bandmates rarely ever playing, maybe a bit at home as a hobby. But please don’t project your experience on those of us that DO love music, DO love it played at a higher level than an arranger can provide, and do realize that the arranger has a LONG way to go before it is better than even average musicians.