Some of you are hip to Leonid & Friends already, but after listening for a few weeks now, I can honestly say - I like EVERY one of their covers better than the originals they copied. This gives me hope, because I too, am a cover artist. It's unlikely that I'll ever write a great American standard, or coin a phrase that everyone adopts, but a friend recently called me a "re-imaginer " of songs, and I take it as a compliment. He said I put my own twist on the songs I sing, and that makes them more than simply a recreation. I'll take it. Here's one of my favorites by L&F (It was a tough call to pick between Happy Man, and Call On Me)

Dave, I would refer to you and a couple of others here - won't name names, so as not to offend - as "song stylists" ... not always following the original melody line ...

Boy, you got THAT right - I take plenty of liberties with melody, some as an artistic choice, others for vocal limitations! lol

Oh, then I am a song stylist to. I play a song through once with a few notes added, then I impro. the second time around.
Is that the same thing?
John C.

It is exactly what players should be doing using an
arranger keyboard with all the different styles, smf, mp3, sequencer features available inside.
Be creative, Mix It Up, there are no rules
just good music.

About a year ago a non-musician friend send me a You Tube link to Leonid and Friends, they do a fine job.

That is exactly why I love my arranger. Who cares if it's not exactly the same bass line or the same beat. If it's recognizable to the cover, then it becomes 'your own', so to speak. People tell me all the time that they enjoy my arrangements, which is as close you can get to doing original work. I also do many original tunes and plan to incorporate them into my act, whenever that may or may not be.

There are signature riffs, and hooks that I rarely deviate from, especially when it's a sing-a-long favorite, like a "Brown Eyed Girl" - Imagine the DISconnect you'd get from the audience if you got "creative" with the Sha-lal-as in the bridge section? I try to channel the "vibe" of a song before I decide how to adapt it to my own personal style. I rarely copy the artist's style, unless it's for comic effect. I'm no mimic. That said - I think the lead vocalists that CAN do that effectively are usually very well accepted - just look at the popularity of the host of tribute bands. Seems like most of them try to really copy the originals, and with great success. My approach is a bit different, but valid, nonetheless. The audience makes the rules. If they like it ... they will come. If they don't .... you may as well play jazz.
(YIKES! Did I just say that?)

I'm of the same mind as Dave, Zuki, Donny and others. Do it your own way and, as Dave says, just keep the signature bits intact. Never seen the point in copying anything - it's already been done, right? I mean, you wouldn't 'copy' Shakespeare, or Monet, or Beethoven, would you? You might emulate, base your style upon, etc. That's fine. But copy? No.

Carol said my Obituary will be short and sweet "I did it my way."

Gary