Someone mentioned something related to this in another thread and it got me pondering...which do you prefer in folk music? Someone who's had years of voice/music lessons and sings like a lark? Or someone who's self-taught, the naive' folk musician (naive' in this case referring to no professional training)?

For example I have a CD called the Bowed? Dulcimer, really beautiful stuff, the artist is named Ken Bloom. He plays the dulcimer as you would a chello and it just has this wonderful mellow quality to it. However his singing...ahem {O)...leaves a bit to be desired. He himself even admitted he was no singer. The first few times I listened to the tunes on the CD where he sings along I admit I winced a little. But then as I listened more and more I really grew to enjoy his voice, particularly when he sang " Over The Hills And Far Away " There's such a open, honest quality about that I realized was just wonderful. I can't rightly explain why and I doubt anyone else would hear it in quite the same way. But you know he loves the music, that he's aware that yes, he's not the best singer in the world but he does put his heart in it.

I just wondered what other's people's views were on this...any takers from the folkie set?