I always try to do requests and I carry "cheat sheets" with me so that I will be able to accomodate. There are a lot of songs that I don't feel like taking the time to learn but I know people will request, and I usually just need to jog my memory a little bit with the lyric sheets. I politely decline if 1) I don't know it or 2)I've just done it. Last Sunday somebody requested "The Wild Rover". No I don't like doing it but I managed a pretty good job. Then another party walked in and requested it. I said I'm sorry I just did it a few minutes ago, but here's another "Rover" song and I did "Ramblin Rover". Everybody was happy. Likewise, If I can't do a song I'll try to find one that is similar. Not quite sure what is meant by the "performer/entertainer" debate. If I want to sing just for myself I don't need an audience, I can (and do!) just sing in my own living room. But if an audience is going to come to see me I have to please them so there has to be some common ground. What I'm not good at and don't like (some people are great at it!) is singalong/audience participation songs. But I will do a few of them if that's what the audience wants.