Jim, as I suspect you already know, I was not referring to the acknowledged greats who picked up the songs that the likes of C Sharp recorded, but rather to the singers of whom those recordings were made.

Listen sometime to the original source recordings of some of those, and you will understand what I meant.

BTW, where exactly in my two posts did I suggest anything akin to "near enough for folk"?

Shimrod, while I do stand by my first statement about learning and practising, I must take issue with you on the subject of reading either words or music.

I know several people who simply cannot memorise lyrics, and yet produce wonderfully fine and professional renditions of songs with the words in front of them. It is also true that classical musicians play from the scores most of the time, and nobody belittles THEIR talent for that. I would hate to miss a fine performance because an organiser vetoed that.

Some performers will always do a bad job, whether from lack of talent or lack of care, but it generally has naught to do with whether or no they read from book or sheet.

Don T.