WyoWoman...thanks for your take. We often are concerned for the feelings of the outsiders trying so hard to participate but lacking the backround. It does seem to be a closed system as you say and yes we try to keep it that way as an example of the rewards of tradition. If that were not so the music would have become even more homogenized, lost its root rules and sound and become lost. How it has lasted this long is a testiment to its uniqueness and the folks who have handed it down for so many generations. It has been said many times this probably is the hardest music to play because of all these factors. It's either in your blood or you can't feel it's depth at all. It's tradition. It's not commertialism. Most of the artists are very poor and die broke. It's love in you heart for the feelings it gives. We simply share this love with each other. There's even a little humor now and again that lightens it up. Enjoy your music for whatever it brings to you and be glad for the emotions it allows you to feel and share. Bluegrassers will not shun you, they only ask you conform to the tradition. They know how great the rewards are when one follows the rules. Participate and enjoy it from inside.