Musician vs. Entertainer: Is It Live Music?

Musician or entertainer? Or both? Or does it even matter? As a professional musician/entertainer I've often pondered this question and discussed it with my peers. Once upon a time, live music was exactly that...live music! If you went and saw a band play at your local club or pub it would consist of real musicians playing real instruments. These acts were appreciated not only for their entertainment value but for their talents and abilities as musicians.

Since my humble beginnings as a working musician some thirty or so years ago I've witnessed a lot of changes in the live music scene. Yes, there are still "real" bands out there but the gradual acceptance of trios, duos, and now soloists using backing tracks has gotten to the stage where someone need only turn up with a microphone and a portable CD player to be considered "live" music.

So is this wrong? Many musicians who have dedicated their lives to perfecting their skills on a given instrument would argue that this certainly is the case and that these "karaoke" singers should stay at home. Hey, they're competing in our territory. But do the audience care? It's still entertainment, after all. Now please note that I'm not casting an opinion here but merely putting forward a question. When I work as a soloist I use backing tracks. I play along with either guitar or piano. The fact that I actually play an instrument, I guess constitutes me as a musician as opposed to being purely a singer. The reason I use backing tracks is because a large number of venues are booking soloists and duos instead of bands in order to keep costs to a minimum. They still expect a "full" sound so that people will feel inclined to dance. Bottom line: venues are booking entertainment. If you have the right mix of songs, a good sound and can win over an audience, you're there!

I know there are many very talented musicians out there who refuse to compromise their "art" and I respect them for that. There are some wonderful venues that encourage acoustic music, live bands and original content. My point is that "live" music today has a much broader definition. Is it right to call it live music? I welcome your thoughts.