My music is on the app onSong on the iPad. I have a set list for memory care and a setlist for assisted-living. After each show, I tweak the setlist a bit, if I feel it is necessary. The app also lets me print a hard copy of the set list. If the iPad were to crash, I know enough of the material by heart that just by having the printed setlist I could pull off the set.

@Chris Ekblom the setlist is my default. Depending on the “vibe” in the room, how my voice is feeling at the moment, and how much time is remaining, I sometimes skip songs or jump around a bit. I can also bring up any other songs in my library (currently 100 or so) in about 10 seconds.

That is definitely a personal preference in one of the big controversies. You have to decide what works best for you. I have not used backing tracks, but I’ve considered it, particularly to add percussion and possibly Bass. The thing is, if you’re playing through a song in a certain way, the backing track will work. However, particularly at memory care, if the residents are getting into a particular song, the chorus of a song, such as “you are my sunshine“ or “ take me home country roads“ numerous times as long as I felt the energy in the room. The song that they remember is typically the chorus, not the verses. Tracks, your sort of tied to a particular arrangement of particular duration. Another option I saw recently was a keyboard that had a beat buddy drum machine. The drum machine added percussion to the song and he could repeat whatever he wanted as long as he wanted, and then at the end of the song he used the volume pedal to turn off the percussion. I am considering that. Then again, at the assisted-living facility where I play, one of the most popular acts is a man who’s just sings to backing tracks, mostly “crooner” sort of songs, such as Sinatra . He is basically doing karaoke, but he gets a bigger crowd and more applause than those of us that are strumming a guitar or playing a piano and singing for an hour. Therefore, there really is no one right answer for everybody. By the way, Another thing I saw recently on Frank Persico’s YouTube channel is a Roland stomp pedal. Every time you tap the pedal with your foot you get a nice drum sound. This allows you to add some percussion to your act without being tied to any sort of “canned“ sounds. There are options out there. Ignore those who say there is only one right way to do it.

@Edward Stowers great songs!. I may try those as well as Leaving on a Jet Plane and Rocky Mountain High at the assisted-living facility where I volunteer.

If you are bringing a dog or other animal to the facilities, you want to make sure that your insurance also covers carpet cleaning. I’m currently working as a volunteer. I suppose the need for insurance would be the same since a resident could still trip over a cable. Being a volunteer results in a negative cash flow (insurance, gas, mileage and equipment expenses) but that is the price of sharing our love with others.