Dan, you're right about the 2 different schools and I tend to favor the more dynamic side as well. My feeling is that if you want to hear an exact replica of Clarence Ashley's "The Cuckoo," you should listen to the record. The great example of someone who fools around with his material, of course, is Bob Dylan. I was lucky enough to be one of the lottery winners for the chance to buy a ticket to one of his "return" concerts with The Band in 1974. What no news coverage ever said was that there were a fair number of people, at the show I was at, at least, who unequivocally did not care for what they felt was the butchering of his (their?) early songs. Me, I loved it. And, partly it was because of the time and the place. He was playing the over-the-top arena rock star to an arena full of fans. He's still almost my favorite singer (George Jones #1) and he has about a 3-note range. But he still puts a song across like almost nobody else. I could go on... and on...But tell me Dan - are you a member of Uisce Beatha? What kind of music? Any recordings available? davidg