I think it is a question of musicianship. I am a bit troubled when Shambles refers to instrumentalists as musicians, while implying that singers are not. As a singer with 7 years of college/university-level classical voice training I consider myself a musician (I have also had formal violin instruction). I also know other singers with no formal voice training who are also good musicians. Unfortunately, I know many other singers with no formal training who I would not classify as musicians. I think the same thing can be said of instrumentalists, although most of the latter have had some formal training and tend to be better musicians. However, I have also heard some instrumentalists who I would not call musicians. Of course it is a matter of degree. I would think (hope) good musicians, whether they be singers or instrumentalists, would appreciate each other's form of music.

S. in Seattle