It’s not easy to become a famous musician but life gets easier once you are. When you play an instrument people always want to know if you play like their favorite player. I doubt anyone asked Eddie Van Halen if he played Mark Knopfler or Roy Clark. Eddie Van Halen played like Eddie Van Halen.
Brian Johnson of AC/DC has probably never been asked if he can sing like Steve Perry formerly of Journey. I doubt Steve Perry was asked to sing like Louis Armstrong 😂
What’s my point?
Learn to play cover songs when you are learning your instrument. Start to play your own interpretation of the covers and creating your own style once you are comfortable. A good goal is to find your own style and your own voice. Playing covers in a bar band is a lot of fun but playing them your way is a lot more rewarding.
This is just a suggestion for those wanting to make music for a living. Bar owners don’t pay much, even less than what they paid in the’80s. I played in bar bands because it was fun and I had a day job to pay the bills. Play because you love making music.