Reading through this thread has underscored for me the fact the the old battle between the "purists" and the rest of us is still simmering. Since my introduction to folk music came via the "commercial" folk performers of the early 60s, I see no reason to disparage them. Sure, they tinkered with some traditional material to make it more accessible to modern audiences. Yes, they made money from the publishing on these arrangements. And no, they did not limit their material to songs of antiquity. What they did do was have a good time with their performances and let a lot of people in on the fun. To paraphrase Chad Mitchell, these groups have now vindicated themselves in the eyes of the purists because any song they might sing now about then IS a song of antiquity! Ray