Interesting. This query migrated in from another thread.

I think mostly it illustrates the futility of arguing without first defining terms. Per the first thread, I agree completely with Jerry. I.e., I do not understand the content of the utterance, "The Beatles killed folk." When a thought becomes sloganized, it loses any exactitude of meaning.

Ironically, as I peruse the list of "examples," I say to myself, "That isn't folk." But it is, it just isn't "trad." Further ambiguity. Then the valid point is made about Leadbelly et al probably not thinking of themselves as "folk musicians."

I guess what folks have in mind when they say 'folk' is 'dead' is that 'Hootenanny' no longer aired after the Beatles came along, but then, harkening to the implication of the term "Folk Scare" [I like it] as opposed to the more naive "Folk Revival," one could say that not much of what aired on Hootenanny was "really" folk anyway.

In the absence of a whole glossary of overly explained terms, trying to discuss this question is like the proverbial act of nailing jelly to the wall.

Now let me get back to practicing "Barbree Allen" on the synthesizer. Would that be folk?

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