Mrrzy - (you from Liverpool?) singers do train themselves to inhale quietly. As for string noise, I agree that it's a matter of technique. Few of us will achieve Martin Simpson's level, and I think that's OK. Personally, I'd rather hear some string noise on nice roundwound phosphor-bronzes than the sound of flatwound strings.

BTW - I hope that by "the whiny music in the background of country songs" you don't mean the divine pedal steel guitar?!?

Cheers, Michael