@tomcy6: Your comment raises a topic that has crossed my mind over the years. Artists or bands who remain favorites of a cult level audience---not ever becoming huge stars, in many cases have longer, more productive careers than do more "successful" artists or bands. A guy like, say, Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Rodney Crowell, Richard Thompson, Jim Lauderdale, or any of the many female singer/songwriters who don’t have Top 40 hits, keep making one great album after another. The above are some of the better known cult audience artists; there are plenty more who are less well known but also very talented, and deserving of a larger audience
An artist or band who have a huge hit record are forever expected to duplicate that success with every subsequent release, and when he/she/they don’t (it’s inevitable), the music business writes them off as has-beens. NRBQ are one of the greatest bands in the entire history of Rock ’n’ Roll, and in spite of never having a hit record have continued to make great music for over fifty years. In those fifty years, hundreds of bands who had a giant record came and went.
The upside for me is that cult artists perform in smaller venues, clubs or small theaters. As an audience members I feel more connection with the artist in smaller venues, and ticket prices are more affordable. The last time I saw The Stones was at The Staples Center in L.A., and I felt like I was watching them on TV. My gal and I left after three songs. Not only was I far removed from the action and sound, but who wants to watch Mick Jagger running from left to right across the stage?
I saw NRBQ in a Portland club awhile back, and though the band members have changed over the years (only pianist/singer/songwriter Terry Adams remains from the classic line-up. Guitarist/singer/songwriter Al Anderson left the band to focus on songwriting, moving to Nashville. Drummer Tom Ardolino died, and bassist/singer/songwriter Joey Spampinato has been under treatment for cancer a long time. By the way, Joey is Keith Richards’ favorite bassist, and he offered him the bass chair in The Stones when Bill Wyman quit. Joey declined the offer, electing to stay in the true Best Rock ’n’ Roll Band In The World), they remain one of the handful of best live bands I’ve ever seen and heard, and continue to create quality albums.