Russ, I venture to say that it isn't the training per se. I've had plenty of voice training and I don't sing folk songs like art songs. I don't try to imitate Woody Guthrie or Ralph Stanley. Nor do I try to imitate Ezio Pinza. I just open my mouth and sing. Placing the voice and using good breath support will not, by itself, make anyone sound like an art singer.

During voice lessons, I have sung an occasional operatic aria. And when I do, I sound like an opera singer. It's kind of a mind-set. But I use a different mind-set when I sing folk songs, and as a result, they don't sound like operatic arias.

Kiri Te Kanawa is a highly trained operatic soprano. When she sings opera, she sounds like an opera singer. But when she sings Pop songs or Broadway show tunes, she doesn't. She adapts her style to the song she's singing. What your wife needs to do is keep the technique, but learn to sing in the appropriate style. Good technique gives one the choice. But you do have to choose.

Don Firth