I try to give the best performance I can of the song, which means concentrating on what I'm doing. I am somewhat surprised and alarmed that some people in the folk world apparently judge my performance by whether or not I'm looking at them. I often see audience members with their eyes shut. Does this mean that they aren't listening properly? Should I be insulted? I'm not; on the contrary.They are concentrating on the song.
I know that, outside of folk music, performers are judged by whether or not they are smiling. Any idiot can smile. Idiots tend to. But it doesn't make them sing/dance/juggle/spin plates/make things disappear/walk tightropes etc any better.
But I see where I'm going wrong now. In future, I should stick to singing short, jolly, middle-of-the-road chorus songs, and smile. Completely revise my repertoire, in fact. Or stay at home. I'm becoming more and more convinced that I have no place in Folk Music.

John Kelly.







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