Most of the guys I know who do Tribute bands also do other projects, including a cover band, and maybe even other tributes. Especially if you don't travel, there isn't enough demand to play a Journey Tribute, for example, every weekend. You set up maybe a half dozen larger shows per year, and fill the time between with other projects. Most of the guys in our local Pink Floyd Tribute also do a Led Zepplin Tribute. One of them has an original band. Between them all, they come from 3 different local cover bands.
In my original progressive Metal band, half of them play in an Iron Maiden Tribute that does a handful of shows a year. Our drummer and the bass player from the Tribute have a cover band that plays regularly. So for the drummer - that's a tribute, and original band, and a cover band. That's pretty common.
Yep. So following this " I don't imitate other people" line of thinking... if you can have a spot as the guitarist in an established band, or backing up a well-known artist, you're going to force your playing on it instead of playing what has been a hit? Right...
My mother is a classical pianist. What a waste... she just plays note for note covers from centuries ago.
There's just musicians who play gigs and musicians who don't.
Your Mother probably doesn't think it's a waste. Just be happy that she's still playing. Music isn't just about entertainment. It goes much deeper than that.