The key thing, to my mind, is the effect of the communication produced. WHen Rick Fielding sings one his go-to-glory Christian songs, I am moved and uplifted by the emotions revealed despite my firm contrary convictions as regards Christianity itself. When Frank Warner sings The Rebel Soldier, I am full of the feelings of the moment he creates, even though I am not Southern born. The realities of the song impinge and penetrate.

When a self-involved, half-practiced amateur stands up to do a song, it has one of two effects. If they do it with courage and intent, even though they do not execute it well technically, I am full of admiration for the effort. But what is being communicated, in net, is the story of a shy person summonsing the courage to perform, no matter what the song. If they do it with egoism and disregard for their insufficiency in musical skills, or with arrogance, my net experience is one of dismissal of a showoff.

Obviously, some venues and some audiences are more compassionate about the awkwardness of the unskilled performer than others; but even the unskilled can reach an audience if their heart is in what they are trying to do.

A