Last night, I got a request to do a Sly and the Family Stone song I had never tried before.

Pieces just fell together, and it made a nice instrumental....("Them summer Days....").

I've done this many times; usually with the result being recognizable enough that the client was happy (not always, but that's a different story).

What about you? How often have you "winged it" while playing for the public?


Russ (gonna keep it up til I get it right) Lay

I actually do it pretty often! Sometimes google on laptop, pull up the words and chords and take off.
I did it Thursday night. Hate to tell you what the song was, but I will. . . Blanket On The Ground. It was good enough for ten bucks! Didn't sound much like Billie Jo Spears though. More like Waylon, and he's been dead a while now!
Occasionally I will realize I'm in trouble and just turn it into an instrumental, but if I really haven't heard the song or it seems too hard, I will skip it and maybe play an MP3 of it from Youtube when I take a break.
When I get one of these requests, if I like the song at all I will make a point to write down words and chords and learn it for "next time".

Same for me. Happens all the time. Most of the time I know the song, but just don't get the opportunity to play it very often. Kinda nice when the requestor drops a ten spot in my tip pitcher, though.


Gary

Sure do all the time, .....I just play it My way,.....or if I don't know it I'll have it on my laptop,....or if needed look it up on my cell phone and play it off you tube whatever it takes to make the customer happy. And if that don't work I'll ask if I can do another song by the same artist that I know or something in the same genre for them and their always happy.

Show business always throws you curves but ya gotta HIT Them out of the park every time !!