"I'm merely taking my cue from the BBC blurb about the programme:"
And it is (typically) ill-informed.
MacColl was approached by singers - Bob Davenport and Harry Boardman among them - to hold classes - he refused but organised a self-help group which eventually became known as The Critics Group.
I read through Harker's biography of MacColl and listed 4 pages of what I knew for certain to be factual errors
Early members were Bobby Campbell, Gordon McCulloch, Luke Kelly, Alasdair Clayre... got a full list somewhere.
"Not suggesting either were literally reading from song sheets "
And I'm saying that in Peggy's case they weren't song texts - I flicked through them - even asked her for a copy of them.
Would appreciate information as to how common joining in with the singer now is in the UK - and opinions thereon
Jim Carroll