On the Redneck Riviera, picking your repertoire tends to be a mostly subtractive process. The goal isn’t to please as many as possible, it’s to piss off the fewest!

Finding a balance between patrons who’d be happy with 100% bro country and patrons who’d be happy with 0% bro country is a delicate balancing act… 😂

But with younger patrons, if you don’t want to do much stuff THEY love (which will annoy the older patrons!), try playing a ton of stuff their parents love. They grew up listening to it, it probably brings back happy memories. The stuff their grandparents listened to is a harder sell. They probably didn’t have that on around the house as kids.

That’s why I’ve largely ignored the 40’s and 50’s other than a bit of Elvis and the odd standard. I can pull them out if I get an elderly couple requesting an old favorite, but they don’t get regular rotation. Yacht Rock seems a pretty safe bet, these days, and is awesome to play and sing…

Speaking of which, unfortunately, it’s still singing that is the primary focus. Particularly with electronic keyboards, where you don’t get the visuals that playing guitar gives the audience, it’s important to give the crowd something to look at as well as listen to. Which is a shame, particularly with my voice! It’s a shame the audience focuses more on my weakest skill, but I guess that’s always the case! Nat King Cole was an amazing pianist, but everyone just wanted to hear him sing… I just wish I sang that good!