I have witnessed, many times over the past fifty years or so, a noisy room suddenly become hushed and attentive when a singer began an unaccompanied ballad. I sing many of them that way, and when I do accompany one of the older, traditional songs, I try to keep the accompaniment simple and unobtrusive. Let the story be the important thing. Yes, indeed, Russ, it's the song, not the singer, that really matters.

Sandy