People who know me, know that I sing every song from the heart.

I do believe in singers not having their faces buried in songbooks, and I do my best to make eye contact with my audience - and I think I'm pretty good at it. I like to sing torch songs to the old ladies at nursing homes. It's much more effective without a song sheet. If you read off a piece of paper, they don't think you're sincere.

When I was a Cub Scout song leader, I had a constant battle with parents who wanted me to pass out song sheets at campfires so they could sing along at campfires. And I also had to battle the Boy Scouts organization, who wanted me to teach only songs that were in the Boy Scout Songbook.

So, it's a matter of using aids when you need them. But I also think it's important that we not put restrictions on singers when they're in a singaround. People are at different levels. If we put too many restrictions on them, they'll lose heart and stop singing.

-Joe-