Simply plug in and play. Bob Dylan, Ray Charles, Alanis Morissette, and Melissa Etheridge are a few good examples. They don't have to chit chat. Just let them make their marvelous music. But in most cases, artists leave plenty of room for improvement when it comes to interacting with that sea of faces staring back at them expectantly.
Line has a natural gift for knowing how to treat audiences.
Then Line, a statuesque brunette with a smile that would melt an iceberg, strides out in a typically stunning outfit and plays a few solo piano pieces. Then she walks to the front and center of the stage and talks to the crowd briefly before being joined by her 14-piece band, with everyone dressed in rich and varied shades of red. We sat on Side B, and after belting out a few bars, our side was deemed the winner. And Line knew how to tap into that emotion. Prior to Line's concert, I had been immersed in the music of jazz pianist Art Tatum, a Toledo native and undoubtedly one of the greatest instrumentalists of all time.