Saro

Yes you're right, it's an interesting subject, particularly because it raises the issue of "folk or art?" But the other issues are about getting the song across and story, tune, texture.

If I understand correctly, harmony singing in the UK is not typically traditional apart from the Copper family (and Ron's bass lines were pretty basic).

I sing harmonies because it's a compulsion.

I learned to sing from sheet music in choirs when I was at school, but found I was instinctively wanting to sing harmony on hymns in school assemblies.

Then I was introduced to the Herga folk club (in the heyday of the Young Tradition, and round about the time of the Watersons' first farewell tour)and discovered that improvising harmonies was a) an accepted thing to do in folk clubs, and b) (especially where there are fabulous acoustics like the Bracknell South Hill Park Cellar) utterly exhilarating. Also, in the 1970s, we had Jim Mageean and Johnny Collins most Mondays at Herga, and great opportunities for adding harmonies.

I agree with Kevin that a lot of the time harmonies are the result of people singing in keys that don't feel comfortable for you to sing the tune.

I've sometimes thought that CBS and Artisan are/ were so polished that they're more art than folk.

I very much enjoyed your workshop with the rest of CMR at Chippenham last year, when you explained your approach to harmonies (especially the Snows of Winter). As you pointed out, having 3 singers gives several possible combinations for 1. 2 or 3 singers at any one time.

i love the Anchor Middle Bar at Sidmouth (if anything the February reunion is better than the August festival) because it's dedicated to unaccompanied singing and provides opportunities for vocal harmonies. (Ditto the Wareham Wail.)

Kitty