True, Genie, I love doo-wop--as well as sea songs, Carter Family, gospel, western swing, Sephardic, Klezmir, drinking songs, and a whole host of other categories.   You may have noticed that when I led songs at the Getaway doo-wop workshop in question--Goodnight, Sweetheart, Mr. Blue, etc.-- I did not look at any book or paper while singing.

My rule is that you can look at whatever you want before you lead a song, but when you sing, you should not use either a book or paper.   If I hold a paper and am forced to look at it while singing, I consider that I have failed myself and the listeners. But I am not about to try to impose my requirements on myself on others in a workshop I am not leading. I would have preferred that no books or papers had been used--as you might realize my saying so in somebody else's workshop would be crass in the extreme--as well as guaranteed to be ignored.

I was in fact disappointed that books were used from time to time (not much, thank goodness)--but that does not change the fact that great doo-wop songs are still great--and I still love them. I am convinced that we could have put together the same songs--and more--had there been no books at all brought.   But when you want the group to contribute songs, you have to be realistic--or set out exact guidelines at the start. And you notice that the two leaders of the workshop did not use any books or paper.

If I had been leading the workshop I would have indeed said at the start that when people sing, it would be good if they did not look at a book.   What they did before they sang was fine.

Since part of the charm of doo-wop in my opinion is that we're all trying to remember how the song--or the harmony-- went.   And that's one situation when music by committee can actually work.   Using a book while singing destroys the group-institutional -memory challenge.

Lastly, none of the books in question was Rise Up Singing, as I recall.   That is the only book I feel has actually ruined many a sing--for reasons I've cited. As I've stated more than once, I would not try to ban any other book or aid to a singer.