Which was my point, too, GUEST, TJ. He's not doing what Seeger does, clearly; he's a big old rock star. If Springsteen tried to adapt his act to some Pete-like populist thing, he'd have a distinct difficulty in getting us to suspend our disbelief. It remains for some other, more folk-based performer to "infuse the music with the lifeway", to paraphrase #1 PEASANT.

But then it calls to mind the noble experiment that Billy Bragg and Wilco tried in the "Mermaid Avenue" recordings of Woody Guthrie's lyrics set to contempo-sounding music. Bragg, at least, is arguably closer to the notion of the Woody-like singer than Bruce is to Pete... but I find it unlistenable, and sure don't hear Woody in there. I hear his words under a post-modern blanket of other folks sounds and ways of singing.

Or Ani De Franco hanging out with Utah Phillips; same deal, diferent disc. Give me Utah Phillips straight, please.

At any rate, who could convey Pete's "lifeway"; his earnestness, and his way of being in the music, who didn't come from Pete's context? Not Bruce. I'm not sure that was his job in the project.

But if it points a few people toward Pete, and Pete's sources, then good.