Record and somehow retain performer (11)
I believe the answer is:
entertainer
'performer' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)
'record and somehow retain' is the wordplay.
'record' becomes 'enter' ('enter' can be a synonym of 'record'**).
'and' says to put letters next to each other.
'somehow' is an anagram indicator.
'retain' is an anagram of 'tainer'.
'enter'+'tainer'='ENTERTAINER'
(Other definitions for entertainer that I've seen before include "Provider of amusement" , "Arturo -, nineteeth to twentieth century Italian conductor" , "Variety artist" , "Eg, singer or comic" , "One providing amusement" .)