Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 02:29 PM

It's not just a UK thing, sh it happens. That's about the rudest I've ever heard though. To walk away & get a beer Kendall & leave them to ru(i)n the session? You know you'd have to say your 2 cents worth first. More to you Betsy, they'd deserve much worst & gotten it too. I was at my local (50 miles away, ha,ha) session & there was a konga player sitting in & he played just every tune AND song. Now I play only the bodhran & usually play it lightly if there's another one in the session or simply sit it out while they're playing (too many drums ruin the stew) & some times I accompy myself with it while singing. So I started singing, unaccompanied & this konga player starts in & he's not doing a very good job at it either, if he were I might've let it pass. I give him a look but he goes on. After 2 verses I just put my hands on his drum heads & silenced him until after I finished & told him straight out that if I wanted accompanyment I'd have played my drum that was resting on my lap. Never saw him again & was thanked by others for dealing with what's normally a delicate situation. I do ask others to back me up if I want them & they're not already doing it & I don't really mind much if they do back me up & I don't want them to. In general though I find that most have the sensability to know when is the right song & time, when they're left to make the choice on their own. I think it also depends on the singer to take on the responsablity for the song to go be done as they'd like to sing it & to not be railroaded by others. If I sing a song where the song has no call for an instrument & were the voice's timing, phrasing is as important as the story I think it's up to the singer to put that over, either by saying something in the beginning, by using some kind of body language, or just be the way the singer put the song's style over. Really the song should speak for it's self. Most musicians will jell weither or not it's meant for accompanyment.
Barry

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST,Jon
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 02:53 PM

The best way to handle that kind of rudeness is for all hands to go to the bar, or leave the pub.

Seen that happen once but in a folk club. One floor singer (who was a little pissed) who decided to wind the PA up to full. It was a nice summer evening and someone suggested we should take our drinks outside which we did until he finished his set.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 03:22 PM

One of the coffeehouses where I sang regularly during the early Sixties was a place called Pamir House. The fellow who started it intended it to be a Indian restaurant (Pamir houses were wayside inns on the Silk Road where it passed through the Pamir Mountains), but about two weeks after it opened, a group of Indian exchange students at the University of Washington tried the place and declared the food to be a) less than authentic, and b) the word "swill" figured prominently in their comments. Not to be deterred, the owner deep-sixed the ersatz Indian cuisine, put in a line of snacks and pastries, got an espresso machine, hired several singers, and turned it into a coffeehouse. At that, it was pretty successful.

It was fun singing there because there were usually three or four singers going on any weekend evening. We didn't do sets as such, we just perched on stools up front and swapped songs, complete with banter, as if we were at a party or hoot. The audiences loved the informality and the off-the-cuff quality of it.

Anyway, an occasional audience member seemed to get the idea that it was sort of a free-for-all, apparently not realizing that we hadn't just dropped in, we were regular singers and were getting paid. One guy started coming around regularly with a pair of bongos. [I can't think of a quicker way to commit suicide than to show up at a place like Pamir House with a set of bongos.]   He was tolerated for about three songs, but when he tried to assist me on "Greensleeves" (with my carefully arranged lute-style classic guitar accompaniment), the owner of the place put a word in his ear and confiscated the bongos until he was ready to leave.

It has always amazed me that people who try to play the bongos always have such an iffy sense of rhythm. We don't run into all that many bodhrans around here, but I image a similar problem might occur with them.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: SINSULL
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 03:35 PM

Explains a lot, Don. My Whale Tambourine goes missing every time I play it. Once it was even harpooned. HARUMPH!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Nick
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 03:48 PM

There is an 'interesting' mandolin player locally to where we live and play who turns up at some singarounds sometimes. I have walked out on him and a friend has stopped mid song and asked him to desist. Keeps bouncing back though undaunted. Now he suffers from the delusion that bad off key and off tempo mandolin playing is a bonus to any track.

But it still doesn't approach yesterdays thing.

(Omigod - perhaps it's me attracting them! A bit like Jasper Carrott's thing of always having the nutter on the bus sit next to him)

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Bert
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 04:35 PM

Hey Barry, you can play along anytime when I sing.


Another problem with coffe houses is this...

Espresso Machine (Tune: Spinning Wheel ) - (Bert Hansell)


Last Wednesday night at the famous Steel City
It came to my turn to sing a short ditty
In the midst of a song of a maid and her lover
The Espresso machine goes
Shhhh, shuff, shuff, shuff, shweeee shoooooooow shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

My turn came again, thought I'd try something loud
A song of our flag that would make us all proud
When I got to the part where the flag started wavi-Shew
Shew shew shew shew shew
Shhhh, shuff, shuff, shuff, shweeee shoooooooow shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Now came my last chance it was almost nine thirty
A song that was funny, perhaps a bit dirty
and right at the part where they all roar with laughter
that blasted machine goes
Shew shew shew shew shew
Shhhh, shuff, shuff, shuff, shweeee shoooooooow shhhhhhhhhhhhhh.


Copyright Bert Hansell, 2004

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: growler
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 04:37 PM

I was in Whitby six weeks ago. Having enjoyed a splendid meal in the Old Bee Hive, went into the bar to be confronted by an Australian Folk sing asking where he could sing. I am know to be on the loud side, ( hence the Mudcat name ) and my 12 string doesn,t help and our Australian friend sang in a similar volume, after several pints of fine ale, we descided that this was the very place for a 'folk thash.
After about four songs, ( including Shouls of Herring }, the Landlady
asked us to stop as she couldn't here the phone ring.
I'm not sure wether it was rude or practicle

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST,maire-aine
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 04:49 PM

When I learned to play the bodhran, the first thing I was told was "
Don't play on a slow air" and "Don't play on a vocal", although I could play on the chorus if it was a "rouser". I have no problem asking an over-eager bodhraner to quiet down.

Maryanne

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: kendall
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 04:49 PM

The boorish Scot? I don't believe that story, no one is that stupid!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: The Sandman
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:03 PM

From my own experience and I think I mentioned this at the beginning of may 06, The session at the endeavour is one to be avoided mainly because the background noise is not in the background.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Liz the Squeak
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:07 PM

Ah, how this takes me back... I've asked people in the audience to stop singing along (out of key) and I've asked others to desist from playing along. If I wanted to hear the penny whistle whilst I was singing, I'd grow another mouth and play it myself.

As for others taking over the song... the best way that I've ever seen that dealt with was to make 'handing over' gestures to the carpetbagger and sit down.

LTS

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Greg B
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:17 PM

"Whit d' ye say when a daft drunken highland Scot comes aroond tae the
singaroond..."

Is anyone else picturing 'Fat Bastard' as both the teller and
the subject?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST,I'll neaverrr tell!
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:26 PM

Och! Now ye're ontae me, ye swine! Ye'll be sorrrry. I plan tae show up at yer next singalong wi' ma bagpipes and a steamin' great bowl o' haggis, which I will eat and I will belch and fahrt noisily whilst others are tryin' tae sing!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Barry Finn
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:29 PM

Ah, again. Body language, it doesn't even have to be tasteful body language, sometimes even a gental slap will do......On the back.......On a smallguy.......If you're big guy.

If the jester trying to join in is seated & you're standing (if not stand) while singing walk over & from behind gently (smile now as you sing now) put your hands on their shoulders rub gently, if they don't stop, rub harder if they continue in a friendly gester type of way put one hand over their mouth (do not smother!) & the other hand over their instrument (do not break!). I have no advice if they're standing except maybe to get beside them lift up your foot higher than knee high then stomp your foot into the side of there knee........& keep on singing as if nothing happened.

Thanks Bert, anytime?

Barry

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:41 PM

Worst one I saw was a duo who came to our club. They set up a PA (something we never usualy see) played a few Shadows numbers and then started to dismantle the PA and leave while other singers were still on! Not seen them since I'm glad to say:-)

Best I saw at dealing with an off-key loud accompanist. At a session we ran in a public bar a very enthusiastic but drunken bloke insisted on joining in with a very soft and tender version of an Irish ballad.

"Can you do lot's of stuff from Ireland?" asked the agreived performer.

"Yesh" slurred the drunken man.

"Well, f**k of and do it then..."

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:47 PM

There is an unpleasant smell of solipsism emerging.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST,bluebird
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 05:54 PM

I was at a song circle in upstate new york and this spooky guy started singing his own song. It was a campfire during a dark night, and a wide ring of maybe 5o others waiting their turn, but it was a moonless night, so no one could see him.He sang a song. Then he asked. Could I sing another. Everyone was too polite to say no. He sang another and another of his self written songs, political in nature and perhaps to not everyone's taste. He was singing his own songs for a half hour before I left.

This guy is famous in his own mind, but in mine, he is the rudest person I've ever had the misfortune to have at a round robin.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST,Jon W.
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 06:03 PM

I don't know if this counts, but I'll relate the story anyway. I am a member of a instrument builder's association. We decided that our meeting last month would be a picnic in a park to celebrate the fact that our little club had not yet self-destructed. About seven of us showed up and sat around eating, telling lies, and looking through old issues of "Guitarmaker" magazine. About the time we finished dinner and were about to pull out our instruments for a little jam session, a couple of Native American youth, one with a little drum and the other with a large rattle, sat down about 30 yards away from us. The one fellow began to beat the drum (which had surprising volume), and the other to shake the rattle and loudly chant in (presumably) his native language. While at first slightly interesting, within a few minutes this got so monotonous, and then went on so long, that all hope of our little jam session disipated rapidly. Why, in a park of 100 acres size, did they have to park themselves right there, right then?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Dave the Gnome
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 06:04 PM

I had to look it up Richard! And I can assure you that solipsistism is not on the aganda at all. Now, can I tell you of an experience I had with someone saying it was...

:D (tG)

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Snuffy
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 07:37 PM

Solipsism - but what can he know?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Ref
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:00 PM

Seems like a fundamental problem is ground rules. I'd never intrude on a paid performer or "open-miker" unless harmonies or accompaniment was requested. Song circles need to be clear as to whether they are going to be sequential individual performances with each one getting to invite (or not) others to join or a rolling group sing with people sequentially choosing songs. In the latter case, the person choosing the song should generally get to set the tempo and tune. My own hate is getting my choice (I do sort of play guitar) and having others sing roughshod over my version.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Don Firth
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:06 PM

Back in the early Sixties there was a trio called "The Talismen" singing around Seattle. The trio was composed of Jon Pfaff, who is still very much around, Carl Blanes (pronounce BLA-ness), and I can't recall the name of the third member. All three were good singers and well-trained musicians (I don't know about the other two, but Jon was going to the University of Washington School of Music at the time), and often their arrangements of folk songs were pretty elaborate, but very tasteful.

One night when they had a coffeehouse gig, some guy who appeared to be a bit sloshed was making loud comments while they were trying to sing. He wasn't heckling, he was just overly enthusiastic. He thought they were great. Then he insisted on coming up and singing with them. Jon told me that they picked one of their madrigal-style arrangements, with the three voices coming in at different times and singing contrapuntal lines. The guy was totally lost. He finally shut up, sat down, and just listened.

Nicely done.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Greg B
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:12 PM

"Och! Now ye're ontae me, ye swine! Ye'll be sorrrry. I plan tae show up at yer next singalong wi' ma bagpipes and a steamin' great bowl o' haggis, which I will eat and I will belch and fahrt noisily whilst others are tryin' tae sing!"

Now that'n reads more like Billy Connolly...

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Paul from Hull
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 08:16 PM

My singing has been known to confound the most competent of musicians....

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Artful Codger
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 09:58 PM

Oh stop that, Mother!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST
Date: 23 Aug 06 - 10:46 PM

I remember a group of (Irish) folkies in Hull who used to do a little session, they were very cliquey and didn't like 'outsiders'. I heard that if anyone new tried to join in, they would employ little tricks to put them off like speeding up ridiculously fast or unexpectedly changing the time signature...this put me off folk sessions for a long while.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Skivee
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:22 AM

I was at a private party for performers after a local festival. A wonderful woman and her family like to open their house up after the show to hear us play with each other. In exchange, she feeds us very well and many stay over. There were about 20 local/ national musicians in attendence on one memorable night.
An ex-mudcatter, well known for his boorish behavior here, had somehow gotten wind of the party and invited himself over. He was drunk (as usual).
My brother (not a pro singer, but a nice enough guy) starts singing an old Irish ballad. "Banks of Red Roses" or the the like.
This boorish peasant pulls out a penny whistle and starts toodling along. Different key...not getting many notes on anyway...loud random notes.
My Bro eventually gave up.
So I asked the boor," Do you even know the tune that he was singing"?
He replied,"No".
He left the party soon after.
BTW. This fellow is quite proud of the contribution he imagines he makes to the local scene.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Bert
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:29 AM

Come on now folks, it's usually only ONE SONG. I remember the time, On Mudcat Radio no less, when I was singing 'The Barley Mow' and a dear friend joined in with a version she'd learned somewhere else (from Seamus Kennedy I think), which had a BOOM, BOOM, BOOM in it.

Ok! it didn't fit with MY version but it certainly wasn't worth upsetting her about it. And like a true professional I carried on and didn't say a word. And I also learned that some people sing it differently.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Little Hawk
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:33 AM

The pennywhistle is a tough instrument to play accurately. I bet it's damn tough when you're drunk.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Bert
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:42 AM

...I bet it's damn tough when you're drunk...

I have visions of a drunken bum trying to plug all the holes at once trying to suck up his beer through it.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Briagha
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:59 AM

About ten years ago, I was booked to sing (and play) in a northern California pub. I was well known in the area, though I'd never played at that venue before. There was a session that was scheduled from 7:00 to 9:00, and then I was supposed to play at 9. Though I'd never been to that particular session before, I knew most of the people there, and had been invited by a few friends to join them, so I arrived at 7:00, tuned my guitar, and headed for a seat. Before I could get within ten feet of the group, the session leader (who knew of me and knew that I was scheduled to play after them) looked up and said "Sorry- don't join us unless you know all the tunes." Even though I knew the tunes, I was so put off by that remark that I just put away my guitar and slunk over to the bar to wait for my set to begin, and it was years before I'd even consider joining in a session.

On the brighter side, I was visiting a friend in Galway a year or so ago, and we went to his local pub where a session was under way. I was content just to listen, but after a while my friend told the group "Here's a lady from America who's a friend of mine and a singer, so I hope she'll give us a song." I was caught by surprise, but did manage to offer an unaccompanied song. Everyone listened, no one joined in (though I'd not have minded if they did), and once I'd finished I was greeted with enthusiasm and welcomed into the group.

Neither boorishness nor kindness is confined to one side or the other of the Atlantic.

And one more word about people who insist on joining in when you're performing-- I would like to throttle the person who invented those appalling shaky chicka-chicka egg things!

briagha

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Paco Rabanne
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 04:24 AM

Could it be my Marshall stack that keeps getting me thrown out of sessions rather than my playing then?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Hand-Pulled Boy
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 06:37 AM

Most regular folk sessions are run by competent people who ensure good order is given to performers. Whitby's pubs were (in my opinion) a shambles of being too busy and too noisy over the weekend evenings. Breakaway sessions in the same room even! Maybe I just went in the wrong pubs?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: kendall
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 06:43 AM

Never assume it's ok to join a group. To avoid unpleasantness, ASK.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: GUEST
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 07:26 AM

I go to one every week in Eltham - all people want to do is drink and talk. Nobody is actually interested in music.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Alan Day
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 07:37 AM

Our band was booked for a Folk Club spot in Southampton from memory it may have been The Anchor.An old friend worked for the local BBC and said that she would have a word with a few people in the organisation and try and get a recording team down there to record us,which she did and the Folk club was notified of their intention.When we arrived it was packed and a steady stream of their local performers did their bit on stage and the organiser with every one had a job to get them off stage.The first half performance was cancelled owing to the regulars insisting that if they did not get on stage they would not go there again.The second half was identical to the first and with the same demands on the organiser.With thirty minutes to go a local singer started his act accompanying himself on an amplified guitar.With eight minutes to go the organiser pulled out the plug of the amplifier to get him off stage.We did one number and an encore.
My word those Southampton people know how to make you feel welcome.
Al

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: foggers
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 07:48 AM

"And one more word about people who insist on joining in when you're performing-- I would like to throttle the person who invented those appalling shaky chicka-chicka egg things!" Could not agree more Briagha - they are the eggs of Satan!

My friend and Mudcatter Mandotim has described an interesting technique for dealing with egg-shakers with no sense of timing during a set ( rather than a session or sing-a-round). He has an egg with nothing inside,which is offered to the offender to use as a superior instrument for the professional percussionist, which requires specific skills. Of course, when they shake it there is no sound. When he takes it back to demonstrate that it does work, he has a functioning egg up his sleeve, so sound is produced as normal.

As for the issue of rudeness at sessions, I reckon it come down to establishing some sense of custom and practice for a regular session, and for folks to be prepared to deal with behaviour which breaches that. I like the sanctions described so far- from hard stares, a polite but firm word, to mass exodus and/or drenching in non-beer.....

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Midchuck
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 08:50 AM

Never assume it's ok to join a group. To avoid unpleasantness, ASK.

Kendall is right, in spite of being from Maine. Maybe it's his British wife. Better yet, listen for a while, then ask.

Keep in mind, at festivals, sometimes what looks like a jam is a group practicing for a set they're to do - especially when it's a pickup group formed for that performance. They really don't want any help at that point.

Agree on shaky eggs. Also spoons. Also bones, unless the player really knows his stuff and it's the right kind of music. Actually, that applies to most percussion instruments.

Of course, washboard players who attempt to join a jam that isn't jug band stuff, or zydeco, may be killed without notice, let, or hindrance.

Peter.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 09:17 AM

Hi Woodsie, is that you being a guest?

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Mr Happy
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 10:14 AM

Sorry, misread this 1st time as:

쳌esometimes even a genital slap
will do......쳌f

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: kendall
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 10:37 AM

A "genital" slap? What if it's someone like Avril Betts? She would probably want more! LOL

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: woodsie
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:05 PM

Not me Rich (but I think I might know whom!) If it is the TB they're on about, then, I'm probably the wort culprit. I am interested in a lot of the stuff being played/sung but get a bit restless when one of the regulars breaks into a mediocre version of fields of athenry/green fields of france. I never talk through a newcomers set, no matter how dire!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Jeri
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:18 PM

Barry's drummer was playing a dumbek. The guy could play, but didn't have any off switch or mute button. As I recall, we came closer to having a fist-fight than I've ever witnessed. Ah, it was a grand night!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Jeri
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 12:20 PM

I think it's important to pay attention to the unwritten rules, if only so one knows what one can get away with when breaking them. The breaking part can add a lot of fun, so long as it's respectful and good-natured. My opinion, anyway.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: woodsie
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 01:04 PM

Or even "Worst"

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: ClaireBear
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 03:31 PM

I sort of like the idea of being a wort culprit. In fact, the Wort Culprits is a darned fine name for a band. I believe you're onto something, Woodsie!

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Don Firth
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 04:08 PM

There is one little thing that tends to get up my nose:

More often than not, when I learn a song, I work at it some. If it's a ballad, I might go through several versions of it, and although I often sing it straight as I got it from my source (book, record, whatever), every once in a while I will put together a composite of a couple of versions. A folklorist or "ethnic purist" may raise an eyebrow, but I think it can make for a better telling of the story. In short, I study the song and make some decisions about it, and how I'm going to do it.

There are some ballads that can be stretched out for half an hour, like, say "Lord Randal," where the "testament" part ("What will you leave to your. . . .") can get repetitive and downright boring. I include a verse or two of that part so the idea is there, but not the whole bloody litany, which would bore both me and my audience to tears and doesn't really add to the story.

So I sing the song. Then some dork, usually with a copy of Rise Up Singing or The Folk Singer's Wordbook, will say, "Hey, you left out four verses!" and then proceed to sing the verses that I carefully and thoughtfully omitted.

Don Firth

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Big Mick
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 04:35 PM

Yep, I agree with that sentiment, at least in part. I think that the participants have an obligation to listen to the version the singer is doing. The singer has the right to interpret a song as they "hear" it. For me, this means I may enunciate, or add dynamics as I want to interpret. Drives me nuts when someone insists on singing along the way they know the song, instead of listening and then going with me. When it is their turn, please, by all means, sing it like you want. But please give me the courtesy of interpreting it as I hear it. You don't have to like my version, but don't try to change it on me while I am performing it. I just saw this done to a singer recently. She was doing her interpretation of a song, and doing it her way. Another fairly well known singer insisted on chiming in and doing it her way. I wanted to scream at her to sit down and let the singer sing.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 05:14 PM

As someone who frequently tortures respected old songs into newer clothes, I'll agree with that - but with what for example a trad singer recently called my "rock and roll guitar" on Maui I usually manage not to get sung over. One exception would be a well known banjo player whose driving tenor can walk on anything and often does.

Subject: RE: Worst singaround/session rudeness ever?
From: Willie-O
Date: 24 Aug 06 - 05:21 PM

It has long seemed to me that many singers have hard-wired versions of songs they sing--they CAN'T adapt to a different reading without shock treatment. Just one of those things.