I suppose I differ from most people. I couldn't give a toss about ability to pitch notes etc. all that stuff is nice if you've got it.

i like somebody who can make me feel like theres a human being in there. not just a set of rules about how (delete as appropriate) country/folk /jazz/rock/opera should be performed.

some people do it by the intelligence of their lyrics, the humour, the phrasing. others do it just by the way they walk to the microphone. sometimes you hear the records of people who have really made your heart sing in live performance, and their recordings are dreadful.

sometimes you hear people with glorious voices and their lack of intelligence in telling the story that the song tells really turns me off.

still I can see I'm in a bit of a minority here. its the trouble with getting old, you start arguing that music isn't really all that important when it comes to judging musicians - and other daft ideas.

all the best

al