Deep cleansing breaths...

(breaking my vow to stay out of this thread)

mslemon...obviously and admittedly you're doing your best to stir the pot. Good for you. However, this "I think she sounds like a 12 year old" business...I can't help but feel that more specific complaints are needed. For example, I have a growth hormone deficiency, and as a result am 4'9" (at age 32), extremely youthful in appearance, and yes, still sound like a 12-year-old. However, I am told by many people that I have a beautiful and enjoyable voice. (I am not saying that to be vain, but to make a point). So I don't see why that in and of itself is your idea of a dig. You could say, "Her voice is high and squeaky and has no depth or maturity to it," for example; I don't agree, but at least I would concede that was a valid opinion.

As big a fan of Kate's as I am, I concede that her delivery and arrangements can occasionally drift into snoozeville. But I think when she's good, she's very very good. And I still have a hard time understanding how a girl who has grown up steeped in the folk tradition, has paid her dues to the folk community, and has done an amazing amount to promote folk music to the world can be instant thread poison here on the Mudcat. People seem to take perverse pleasure in turning any Kate Rusby-related thread into some sort of snipefest. I don't get it.

Of course everyone is entitled to his or her opinion...that's a given. But people should remember that they *can and will* be judged on HOW they choose to express their opinions.

/rant off.

Molly