I asked the owner of the venue where I work most why he was hiring more guitar player/vocalists now. He told me that there just wasn't anyone else around like me! He can't justify a full band, so one or sometimes two pieces will have to do. The good side is that he is one of the handful of upper classes venues that even have live music five nights a week.
There is a photo on the wall of four of us "one-man bands" sitting together. My friend HankB, Bill Bush, Billy Ledbetter and me. I'm the only one still alive. Last man standing.
It is necessary to a wide variety of music there, standards, blues, oldies, country, etc. The younger artists tend to specialize in one area.
There are about three or four high-end restaurants that have piano bars, five casinos and one honky-tonk night club and that's it.
Of course you can find a "jam night" to go to just about any night of the week. If you want to play for free and pay for your own drinks. And don't get me started on the karaoke places. Again, come and sing for free and spend money.
No thanks.