GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR It makes me so angry to hear so many stories about folks being told they can't sing! I hear this story time after time in my career- from parents of my students at school, and from women who would love to sing in my chorus, "but you see, I can't sing, my third grade teacher told me so!"
It's gotten so that I'm convinced that the past generations of music teachers saw it as their task to eliminate as many potential musicians as possible! What damage they did!
I begin my work with children and adults with the assumption that of course you can sing! Very rarely have I been proven wrong. Only twice have I ever worked with adults who really, truly, in spite of all their (and my) attempts, could not match pitch. They are rare exceptions, and I bet if I (or someone) had gotten to them early enough, they'd be singing, too. Singing has a lot to do technically with the ability to hear, and process, and listen, but it is so important to one's health and well-being to be able to let loose and sing, without fear of condemnation!
So y'all just sing, dammit! OK?

*whew* end of rant. Thanks, I feel better. Jerry, thanks for this thread!