Hello Susan-Marie,

It is rare that I would throw a bucket of coldwater on any singers being one myself. When I play an instrument it is strictly for rhythym and as a visual aid. And yes I do play in a band. Kinda the Kingston Trio/Clancy Bros. with drums. My experience singing with a group of musicians like you have mentioned is this. The circle at The Limerick Pub, mainly Fiddlers, whistlers and the conordion player get done with a tune and one of my band mates and I launch into "Brennan on the Moor" or "Come Along" and the fiddlers, whistlers, and conordion players need to take a leak, put money in the meter, take a nap, wax their legs, anything but be around people who can only sing. In Syracuse we run towards instrumental folk snobs it seems. ( I met a symphony harpist once who said to me, " O'Carolan? Irish harp music? But thats only folkmusic." so I guess the knife of snobbery cuts both ways.)

My advice, sing with this band! Play a rhythym instrument yourself for your own direction, but enjoy the experience. Remember that the sound you hear in the deepest past of traditional music is the human voice. Anything else is just elegant window dressing.

Don Meixner