When working, i usually embrace a really good singer, if the crowd or establishment i'm working for allows it. but there is usually a limitation. example: if a Truly Great Singer comes in, and blows the roof off the place, i ask the audience Do You want more?????, they usually scream, YES!!!
But if that same person comes up again later in the evening, i don't do it again, that to me is overkill.

As far as The Three Tenors (referring to guys),

Guys are harder to deal with, especially if they are GREAT SINGERS, because their voice is a gift from GOD. I Apply the same rule as seen above, but i make a point not to follow it if say the person involved, asks me to do it, because they feel they are the best singer in the bar, its really amazing how people are.

any experiences with Divas or Tenors?

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Originally posted by jasonpinrichmond:

As far as The Three Tenors (referring to guys),

Guys are harder to deal with, especially if they are GREAT SINGERS, because their voice is a gift from GOD.

[This message has been edited by jasonpinrichmond (edited February 20, 2002).]

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It's tough being me

Thanx

Looks aren't everything....

You know, in asking if anyone wants more (your first example), you can unwittingly BUILD giant egos.

People come to my shows, everyone gets treated equally. Now I'll make a comment on the mic such as "HOLY GAWD!" rather than "Alright, put your hands together for xxxxxxx"... but that doesn't mean that they get bumped up, or equal treatment.

We've got a guy named Josh who just NAILS head bangers hits. He knows it too. But he also grins and sits back down, enjoying his six mins of fame, and the next time he gets called up, the crowd goes nuts. He grins, gets into the song, does a demon voice every now and then that gets people laughing, and then sits back down!!

Egos can really ruin a show. When people say good job to me, I smile, say "Thanks! I had fun!" and that's it! Most people respect that!

I pretty much act like that Josh guy too. I'm good (and I "know" it), but I'd never throw my weight around. It's just plain rude, and you're just asking to get shot down eventually.

Looks like me and you could qualify for being two of those Three Tenors!

I enjoy doing a lot of tunes (and I'm getting WAAAAYY better than I ever used to be), and currently, the headbangers are my long-lost loves!

I've been requested a couple of times to do the Autograph song (HB#7) "Turn Up The Radio", as well as many Ozzy tunes... although I BOW to Josh on "No More Tears" from Brickette #5.

On the other hand, I can NAIL "Snowblind"...

As I said, I just have fun with it.

"The more y'all drink...the better I sing!"

How I handle Divas and Three Tenors..

I rarely will go that extra mile to acknowledge them more so than a singer
who can sing well or who just can't sing at all. Everybody is equal at my shows and I really try to make people see that. My greatest pleasure is to say NO when the Divas/3Ts friends come up to me and say, "You gotta get them sing again...you saw how they brought the house down" to try to get them back up in rotation ahead of everyone else. We are all created equal in the eyes of the Lord...and this KJ!

Personal KJ pet peeve..
When a KJ beefstroke'noffs a Diva/3T with more praise than they would give a regular singer who comes in every night.

Some "regulars" at a particular club/bar who consider themselves to be the the sh*t, the 'top dawgs' among all singers. These type of people usually get really upset when someone else does their song(s) - as if that song were put in the songbook only for them. Such persons also seem to have an "internal" karaoke contest going on in their minds every night, and often become upset if a really good singer comes to a show and receives a lot of attention/praise from the audience.

I've also seen other cases where there is a "regular" singer who virtually everybody thinks is great, and some of the other "regulars" who are maybe not as talented (or as popular, I suppose - but are almost definitely more insecure) become jealous of this person almost always being in the spotlight. This sometimes leads to criticisms over some of the most minute things... (e.g., slight deviations from the original version of the song; on-stage appearance and persona; clothing choice; accusations of singing flat, etc.).

*Somewhere along the way in my karaoke experience, I developed my own ideas about what I might call "performer's etiquette":

1. Accept compliments graciously, do not act like "yeah, I know I just kicked ass on that song". I also try to talk even for a brief moment to people who compliment me (e.g., ask for their name and if they're going to be singing later on).

2. Clap for everybody, no matter how good or bad. The only exception I make for this is for people who act like a**holes on stage (e.g., criticize the KJ or others who've aleady sang).

3. Try to say something positive to other singers who compliment you. This is not always easy; I will not lie to someone who I think sings very poorly and tell them that they're good, but I will comment that I liked the song they chose to sing or ask what they're singing next.

In other words, I just try to keep things light and funny when I'm at a show.

BTW -- as an aside -- the other night, I dug "Spirit in the Sky" from the archives. I've been doing that song for years. When I returned to my place at the table, one of the other singers said to me, "Not bad for a first effort, but you were a little flat. Keep practicing, and you'll get it some day."
I got a charge out of that...

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Personal KJ pet peeve..
When a KJ beefstroke'noffs a Diva/3T with more praise than they would give a regular singer who comes in every night.

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People like that "rapper", while entertaining, only highlight the true purpose behind equal treatment of singers. People will wait to hear that singer again and again if he acts "properly".

Sorry for that mental image!
You know, if a new singer I've never seen before comes into the bar I try to make it a point to visit with them a little bit and welcome them to the show. If they sing well or "bring the house down" I usually make a double effort to chat with them. I'll also give the traditional "Put your hands together for..." over the mic and while they are leaving the stage I usually tell them off mic, "Very nicely done". What I'm really talking about is how some KJs will fawn and fall all over the Divas/3Ts which in turn inflates their already oversized egos.

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Originally posted by AnthonyT:
70'sGuy,

Sorry for that mental image!
You know, if a new singer I've never seen before comes into the bar I try to make it a point to visit with them a little bit and welcome them to the show. If they sing well or "bring the house down" I usually make a double effort to chat with them. I'll also give the traditional "Put your hands together for..." over the mic and while they are leaving the stage I usually tell them off mic, "Very nicely done". What I'm really talking about is how some KJs will fawn and fall all over the Divas/3Ts which in turn inflates their already oversized egos.

Another one of my peevs is when a singer comes up and says, "You need to put me up because I sing better than anyone else in the bar". That's usually when I tell them that everybody in the bar singing has a spot in rotation and they have to wait just as long as you do to sing again. If they can't grasp the concept that I just tell them NO..if that doesn't work, I have to spell it out for them...N-O. If that's not enough still, I tell them, "I'm sorry I can't help you" and turn away from them.

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People and their egos! SHEESH!

I love to bring down people a notch... usually when a comment like that is made, I'll go find someone that I know is very good, and have them have a contest. Whoever is the best (judged by the audience), I give a T-shirt to...

Funny how the regulars always seem to win, rather than the first time newbies that think they're all that? :hmm: must be that popularity thang!

Anthony, when I come back to Missouri this summer for my H.S. reunion, I'll hook up with ya! Can't wait to see one of your shows!