Hmm, threads like this one keep me coming back to Mudcat.

For your consideration (and outrage, I'm sure):

Shape-note singing sessions can be found in several areas of this country. All from a few books.


New England contra dance   Every second Saturday.


Talking about Doc Watson brings up lots of stuff - he was trained to tune pianos, grew up where people sang traditional ballads, made a living playing dances (traditional fiddle tunes on electric guitar), and had the voice and technique to sing and play whatever he wanted to. What he got paid for varied by time and place.


Johnny Cash: "Hurt" Again, he grew up, then married into, traditional singing (at least, the Carters were collectors of and benefactors from Appalachain song). By the end of his life, he was able to sing whatever he wanted to, and make it part of his music.

We don't have one tradition here in the USA, so it seems insulting to me to talk about restricting singing (or instrumental music) to a single profile.