my job description is "recording artist" but that doesn't pay enough without playing live to sell those recordings. ;-)

Any recording is just a representation of what that artist sounded like "live" on the day it was recorded. If Mick Jagger sang "Honky Tonk Women" every day (assuming Mick Jagger can sing), it would sound a little different every time.

The best recorded performances are the ones that are recorded naturally. For the last 7 years, I have never done more than 2 or 3 takes of any vocal when recording and then we make a composite of the best parts of those takes. If I can't capture the passion (or the actual notes) in three tries, then I can't do it live either.

If it isn't working in 3 tries, I come back another day and try again. This keeps the recording as "live" a performance as possible.