{blackbabes} Private shows are in the public eye, thanks to the Gadhafis

There has been an outbreak of sellers' remorse in pop's upper echelon: Nelly Furtado, Beyoncé, Mariah Carey and Usher have ruefully acknowledged staging shows financed by Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi and his family.

"I was naïve and unaware of who I was booked to perform for," read a statement by Carey, who like the others vowed to donate money to charity. "This is a lesson for all artists. ... We need to be more aware and take more responsibility, regardless of who books our shows."

Indeed, in their contrition, these stars also have brought new attention to a less-scandalous trend: private concerts by popular artists.

Industry observers say it's common practice for musicians to supplement already substantial incomes with command performances for people, or corporations, who can afford to shell out big bucks (Furtado's fee: $1 million) for a name attraction.

"Just about everyone does it," says Gary Bongiovanni, editor of the touring trade publication Pollstar. "If your dream is to have someone (famous) sing at your birthday or wedding, and you offer enough money, the answer will most likely be yes."

Of course, the well-heeled revelers usually aren't dictators charged with human-rights abuses. "In most cases, there's not much of a stigma attached," says Rolling Stone contributing editor Anthony DeCurtis.

But stars have made news by doing business with controversial figures. Elton John sang at right-wing talk show host Rush Limbaugh's 2010 wedding. Jimmy Buffett appeared in 2001 at a Roman-themed bash thrown by then-Tyco International executive L. Dennis Kozlowski, later convicted of misappropriation of corporate funds.

As social media continues to expand, such shows are likely to receive wider exposure. "Part of what the client is paying for is exclusivity," says Billboard executive director Ray Waddell. "But it's hard to imagine that someone wouldn't snap a photo or tweet about it or put it on a Facebook page."

At the same time, the decline in traditional revenue streams such as CD sales and tour grosses makes these gigs more attractive to artists. "They'll generally make more than they do for a public show and don't have to worry about interviews or promotion," Waddell says. "And their expenses are covered."

Given such perks, it's not surprising that the vetting process is, as Carey's quote suggests, less than consistently diligent.

"Artists may not ask questions about the (final) buyer, beyond whether the money and production will be up to par," Waddell says. "We may see more questions asked in the future, though."