It's funny, but I was looking over the Sing Out Aug/Sept/Oct. '93 issue and the First Words by Mark D. Moss was about this very same topic. A defense of using RUS, but with the injunction in the last paragraph about this topic in the article of:

"...I don't intend to demean the achievements or skills of great singers, but we all possess the basic tools to sing socially. So, damn it, sing from book all you want, people, sing from Sing Out! Sing from your heart. Just cut the "it's got to be in the book" crap, OK?"

Sounds about right to me....in these times we should be singing and singing together, it'll get us through it...

Astro