The most important factor?

Subject: The most important factor?
From: Bettynh
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 02:29 PM

I've felt bad sometimes and a little out of place on this forum because I'm not a performer. I can sing well enough if hidden in the audience and simply haven't had the talent or persistence to learn a musical instrument properly. I went to Girl Scout camp for many years and attended church, so that music is familiar, and I first heard Pete Seeger on public TV when that meant catching it for the two hours a day that it broadcast.

I listen to and purchase music I like. For me, that's music I can hum along with, if only subvocally, and some dance music. Since I'm an alto, I have a hard time listening to Joan Baez for any length of time. Most of the music I enjoy can, sometimes a little loosely, be called folk.

I raised two kids and travelled with them a lot. We discovered storytelling. Since I was buying, the kid's music we listened to was decidedly folkish. After insisting that rap and heavy metal were the best music ever, they now both look forward to going to Old Songs Festival with me every year, and drag friends/girlfriends/whoever they can convince to come along as well. They're 28, twin boys.

I 'fessed up to Alan Block many years ago about not being a performer, and he said "without you I wouldn't have a job," which is true enough, I guess.

So I'd like to speak to the audience members here. What leads you to enjoy a particular musician or song? I like to hum along, one of my kids loves clever lyrics, the other is studying blues guitar, so he wants those guitar licks, and we all love a good story.

Subject: RE: The most important factor?
From: Melissa
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 10:30 PM

isn't it disappointing when you start a good topic and nobody picks it up?

Subject: RE: The most important factor?
From: mousethief
Date: 08 Apr 10 - 10:47 PM

For me the lyrics come first, definitely. If you've got lame lyrics, but an awesome melody, then give up the lyrics and sing scat. I'd like to hear a story, or a vignette, or a lament -- something interesting and not just fluff. (I do have some guilty pleasures, but they're not the majority of my listening preference.)

Of course great lyrics with a lame melody might as well just be recited.

Subject: RE: The most important factor?
From: Bettynh
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 11:49 AM

Let me throw out some names of performers we all enjoy when traveling: Gamble Rogers, for his amazing guitar and great stories (as far as I can tell, only available here), Bill Harley, whose stories have grown up as my kids have, and David Holt when storytelling or schmoozing with Doc Watson. I was a bit surprised when the blues-oriented kid announced that Jez Lowe was his favorite at Old Songs last year, so we all influence each other.

Subject: RE: The most important factor?
From: GUEST,Abdul on mobile.
Date: 09 Apr 10 - 11:37 PM

For me, the song as a whole is the thing. Words and tune. Some just seem to hit you personally and then taking the song and working it through until you have it 'in' you and you can deliver it on in a way you feel does it justice is a magical process. Al