Accompanying a song, like most things, can be done well, badly or in between. Of all the accompanists that I have heard, in my opinion a few do a really good job, but only a few. Likewise a few singers accompany themselves very well, but too often the accompaniment occupies too much of a singer's attention, preventing them from doing justice to the song.

A year or two ago I attended the launch of an album by a singer whom I approve of, but on stage with the singer were about half a dozen musicians. A lot of the time they were all playing at once and it smothered the song. I did not buy the CD.