Unaccompanied singing is regarded as a bit of a freak show in one small group of musicians that I regularly sing with. I actually prefer some accompaniment, which is one of the reasons I'm learning to play guitar, but this particular group plays mostly old country and western songs, while I am inclined towards folk and ballads. They rarely know the songs I know. I used to try singing a non c&w number with them now and then, but gave up after one time they actually started playing a c&w standard before I'd finished singing. These musicians are my friends!

They will ask me to solo (with accompaniment) various country songs, so they like my voice well enough. But they are diehard c&w -ers; no other genre exists for them.