If one is booked at a festival and part of what you are asked to do is to run a singaround or session, it is not unreasonable to refer to it as 'work', especially if you are a full-time pro. artist. That doesn't mean that you don't find it enjoyable - none of us would be pro. artists if we didn't find what we do to earn our living anything but enjoyable. There are easier ways to make enough money to live on, believe me!

The other reason for referring to it as 'work' is your attitude towards the responsibility involved in running a good singaround. To my mind, it requires constant concentration, and the odd appropriate comment to keep the momentum going, or to lighten things when they get too doomy, or keep things positive when a performer is not too good for whatever reason - all sorts of things, but if you let your concentration slacken, it can mean the difference between everyone feeling they've had a good time, or - not! And as the host of a singaround, that's what my job is.

Personally, much as I love doing it, after a solid three and a half hours, I am pretty exhausted - and Carol and John, I'm really sorry if your work isn't as enjoyable and fun as mine is!

Barbara