Can I make it clear; I am talking about improving the basic standards in clubs; I am not in any way advocating a star system. As I have already said, I believe it lies within the abilities of most people to improve their singing if they are prepared to work at it. It is a small step from enjoying singing to enjoying singing competently; understanding the songs, not forgetting words, getting the tune right, singing in tune (cup your hand over your ear if necessary – it works!), and most importantly, enjoying the songs and communicating that enjoyment to those listening. All these things are inseparable, technique, understanding, involvement, enjoyment and communication.
Far from believing that it is important to have a galaxy of stars representing traditional singing; I believe it is many of these 'stars' who have benefited most and contributed least to it, through ignorance, indifference, ambition – or all three.
When I heard M.P. Kim Howell's disparaging remarks about folk clubs some time ago I was annoyed, but on reflection, he (or she; I'm not sure) had a point; it would be my idea of Hell to be stuck in many of them. Unless things have altered radically over the last couple of years the standard of singing is abysmal and dropping steadily, and judging by some of the contributions to this thread it's little wonder.
I can't see why 'Man-of-the- People should get so annoyed with the suggestion that it is necessary to work on singing – I'm certainly not suggesting that people who can sing should stop because they are not good enough; I am suggesting that an attainable, generally acceptable standard should be set and worked for in all places were traditional songs are sung publicly. It is not a criticism to say that people need to work on singing, just as they have to work at every endevour. Real, lasting enjoyment comes from doing a thing well. After all it is the 'people' that 'Man-of-the People appears to be claiming to be 'a man of' who created and passed on these songs in the first place, and surely we owe it to them to get things a little bit right.
I don't think Wee Little Drummer is being in any way patronising; on the contrary, it is patronising and incredibly cruel, to pretend that somebody can sing when they obviously can't. Don't forget; people are still taking the piss out of Florence Foster Jenkins well over half a century after her husband paid for her to sing out-of-tune at Carnegie Hall. It is problematical to tell "nice people" they need to go off and do some work on their singing without offending them.
As far as my own activities are concerned, traditional song will be around for a long time to come - in books and on recordings. From a purely selfish point of view, it would be good if it were still being sung at clubs and concerts; but whether it will be passed on in any worthwhile form in live performance to future generations will depend greatly on it being performed well.
Jim Carroll
PS. I am talking purely about traditional song; I have no great interest in singer-songwriters, music hall singers, pop performers (of whatever era) or any others who have chosen the folk club as their venue – they can fight their own corner.