On jazz gigs, it's the honor system. COMPETENT players are welcome, with rules. I call all the tunes. If you can't cut it, STAY OFF THE STAGE! That's ONLY if the format is "jam-like".

On other jobs, sit-ins are not allowed, with rare exceptions (like John Entwistle, Lou Rawls, Rosemary Clooney, Bootsey Collins, Ray Price, some of the guys from Exile and quite a few others over the years).

I worked in one duo where it was nothing but sit-ins. The "star", Preston Weber, was almost a non-player. He called up all the regular "performers to do their one or two tunes. I had to find the key and back the "talent" on keys or guitar. It was part of the act...a 4 hour sing-a-long...awful, but the cash register kept ringing, and we kept working for 20 plus years!

To me, it's just part of managing the process! I played once a month for the Governor's mansion and the governor's daughter thought she was a singer. Guess what? I just shut her off (awful) and planned my trip to the bank with the check the next day!


Russ