Dammit, Conrad, NO ONE (with the possible exception of YOU!) is arguing against open and fee music!

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Conrad, collectors like Cecil J. Sharp, the Lomaxes, the Warners, et al, are not particularly concerned with the quality of the voices and the general singing ability of those from whom they collected songs. But IF they are going to collect any songs from them, their informant MUST be able to sing at least an approximation of the correct pitches so they can notate the tune of the song, and the informant must have sufficiently clear diction so they can at least get an idea of what the words are so that they can write them down.

The informant does not have to be a potential Metropolitan Opera star. In fact, they could have a voice like fingernails on a blackboard, but they, AT THE VERY LEAST, have to sing a song well enough so the collector can write down the words and tune, otherwise it's an waste of time and an exercise in futility.

This should be obvious, even to you!

Having a golden throat is not a prerequisite for singing folk songs and ballads. One of the major professional singers during the Sixties and beyond, was Dave Van Ronk. He had a voice like a rusty hinge and a throat full of phlegm, and when he sang, he made you feel like you needed to clear your throat. Yet, he was one of the major figures in the folk revival. His singing voice was barely listenable, but he made the most of it. He knew the subtleties of the songs he sang and he could express the emotions of the songs like very few singers could. All in all, he was an excellent singer of folk songs, in spite of his voice.

A very good friend of mine, whom I have known for years, loves folk music, he knows a great deal about it, and has even written academic papers on ballads and ballad histories. And he knows hundreds of songs. But he was practically born with asthma, and it has adversely affected his voice. His speaking voice is husky, and his singing voice equally husky, if not moreso. And although he has a fairly good ear, he hasn't enough control over his vocal mechanism to be able to sing on pitch. Close, but no more than an approximate. When he sings, you can get an idea of the "melodic curve" of the song, but you can't get an accurate fix on the actual pitches.

Now, here's a guy who loves to sing, and wants to very much. But he knows the deficiencies of his voice. In his heart of hearts, I'm quite sure he would love to, but he would never attempt to sing in any kind of setting with a conventional audience, such as at a coffeehouse, pub, folk festival, or God forbid, try to give a concert.

I feel for the guy, as do all his folk music aficionado friends. When we have "hoots" (informal song fests in someone's home), he brings his guitar, because, in the course of the evening as various people sing, someone will ASK him to sing something. He would love to be able to sing well if he could, and since he's a good friend, we all make sure that he has a chance.

But, Conrad, no one would be cruel enough to suggest that he try to sing at folk festivals or open mikes. In fact, he knows better than to try.

But—there ARE people out there whose voices are no better than our friend's, who DON'T have the self-awareness and good sense to know that their voices are not particularly pleasant to listen to.

Here's something for you to contemplate, Conrad:    When I was two years old, I contracted polio. My legs don't work very well, and I've walked with a leg brace and crutches all my life, until recently, when I've had to take to a wheelchair. I always knew that there were certain things that, due to my physical condition, I would never be able to do. I can swim like a fish. But become a tap dancer? No. General run of sports like football, baseball, basketball? I don't think so. Climb Mount Everest? No. Scale the sheer rock face of El Capitan in Yosemite National Park? Not bloody likely!

But there were a lot of things I could (can) do. I'm fairly good at art:   drawing, painting, cartooning. I worked for several years doing engineering drawings for Boeing airplanes. I can write, and have written quite a bit, both fiction and non-fiction, some of which has been published. I have a fairly deep, mellow speaking voice and worked for several years in radio, as a newscaster, a disk jockey, and as an announcer at a classical music radio station.

And I can sing. I love music, and I love folk music in particular.

But I'm fully aware that my singing voice has limitations. My voice category is "bass," the lowest male voice. I can sing down to a low E (same pitch as the 6th string of a guitar), and on a good day, maybe down to a D. And I'm kind of pushing it a bit if I try to sing up to middle C (1st fret, 2nd string). That's a fairly limited singing range. An operatic bass is expected to be able to sing from a low F (1st fret, 6th string) up two octaves to the F on the 1st fret of the 1st string.

So singing opera is out. But fortunately, folk songs and ballads are what I want to sing, and I can sing those. So I do!

Learn to work within your limitations, Conrad. You'll be a lot happier, and you'll be less of a pain in the ass to other people.

Don Firth