Hi Willie,
I had to learn how to sing and play at the same time. I think the challenge is pretty universal for anyone who plays and tries to sing at the same time.
As so many folks have mentioned, I, too, learned to play guitar because I loved to sing. It was important to me, so I worked and worked at it until it became fairly natural.
However, if I am playing something difficult or intricate, it can still be a challenge to play and sing at the same time. Something like "A'Soalin" takes practice:
I think whether we learn to sing and play at the same time is a matter of desire. I think a person has to want it badly enough.
- Glenn