When I first started singing in pub sessions I was very glad of the gentle accompaniment from a mandolin player, which helped keep me in tune. At a later date and different session we were 'blessed' with a guitar player who was unable to carry a tune in a bucket, but who insisted on noodling along to just about everything being sung, quite often overpowering the voice with his rendition. Very irritating to the rest of the group. One of our number, who has a powerful voice and sings a lot of songs that sound good acapella, actually told him to stop the accompaniment as it was not suited for the songs he was singing.

Now, I'm all for encouraging folk to play and sing, whatever level they are at. If I hadn't had the encouragement when my voice was, basically, very weak and thready I would not have progressed at all. What I don't like is this type who thinks that, because they have been around for a long time, they have carte blanch to intrude in this way on everyone else's performance. That can lead to a less experienced singer or player having real problems getting through their piece.

I do think that people who behave in that way need to be told, in no uncertain terms, that it is not acceptable to intrude like that, otherwise it is likely that, over time, the session may, indeed, become a solo one, as all the other participants decide to go elsewhere.