Hey, Bob,
I 'preciate your rant and where it comes from. And I'm utterly with you in hating it when half of the group has their heads buried in some book instead of either digging into the trove of songs between their ears or even just listening and enjoying.

Gotta diverge a bit where that total ban goes, though.   Yes, the Blue Hymnal often does drive me crazy. But sometimes I want not only to "share" a song by way of doing it solo but also by getting everyone to sing with me, ideally with harmonies and counterpoints, etc.   Unless the song is terribly familiar -- and even then, we all seem to know slightly different versions of "Wildwood Flower" -- or consisting mainly of repetitive refrains, the best way I know to have that kind of special musical community experience is to use lyric (and/or chord) sheets. Having sung in choirs since I was thigh-high to a gnat, I can attest that some wonderful group musical times have been had, aided and abetted by cheat sheets.

Isn't it possible for a folkie gathering to include more than one 'style' of "sharing?"   ;-X


(FWIW, I can't make Sunnycamp this year, since I have to be somewhere else.    I do hope it's a great time for all, though.)

Genie