Interesting comment from WYSIWYG about Steve Earle. I love his music, his songwriting and his singing (from the point of view that it's a terrific vocal noise), but I constantly find myself having to search the web for his lyrics because it's impossible to understand his diction. How many people realise that the (clearly understandable) line in 'Copperhead Road': "I volunteered for the Army on my birthday" is followed by: "They draft the white trash first round here, anyway". A good line, but you'd never know it from simply listening. Since Earle writes songs that tell good stories or make tough political points, surely they'd be even more effective if you could understand the words first time.

Yes, John Martyn slurred, but then who cared about the words to 'Solid Air' anyway?

If you're singing, say, a traditional ballad, it loses its point and the audience's attention if you fail to get the words across. Go and listen to Phil Tanner. Or Ray Fisher.