Many years ago, I did a Singing Styles workshop at a folk festival. It was my desire to get people to talk about who their influences were, and how they felt that they came to sing the way that they did. I find that a very interesting topic. I no sooner gave an introduction to the workshop than a woman in the audience raised her hand and started berating my singing because I was sitting down while I was singing. She then went on to talk about using your lungs properly, proper posture, and all sorts of other "right" ways to sing. Ironically, I have performed standing up more than any of the other singers in the workshop, all who are much better known than I am. It took some doing to shut the woman up, explaining that I was not trying to teach anyone how to sing, just asking people to share their influences. The woman was overbearingly negative. She is a professional voice instructor and was undoubtedly trying to drum up customers. I don't think that she picked up any from the workshop. Even though I've never taken voice lessons or had any desire to, I believe in the value of them for those who want to take them.

Jerry