As my name has been taken in vain a couple of times I can only say that if my Tam Lin ballad pleases people it's probably because I heard Bert Lloyd sing it about 40 years ago and some of the magic must have rubbed off (I'm convinced that, in his prime, he was a genuine magician!).

I think that it's important to know how NOT to sing ballads. For a start don't over-dramatise. I once heard/saw a woman sing a ballad illustrated with actions - it was HORRIBLE - by half way through I was under the seat CRINGING and moaning with embarassment and rage!

I've always found that the best ballad performances are understated with the singer almost acting as a conduit for the story (to do that actually takes great skill). Some people complain that ballads are repetitive - but that's often one of their key features - the repeated refrains, figures and motifs are designed to build tension. Trouble is a lot of modern audiences tend to treat refrains as choruses and belt them out - which can spoil the effect.