“It’s a life,” declared Janice Medlock emphatically. “It’s more than just a profession—more than music even—it’s a way of life.” The topic at hand was piano bars—specifically what it is like to be a piano bar performer.

Medlock, who plays at the Monteleone Hotel’s Carousel Lounge Wednesdays through Thursdays, has developed a loyal following for her spirited style of performing blues numbers as well as show tunes and the usual piano bar fare. A natural entertainer, she is appreciated as muc...