like rubber neck drivers along the commuter hour highway at a car wreck - folks "turn their heads" to look at the scarey, edgy, weird or dangerous stuff. Mass marketeers sell edgy stuff - because they konw that's what cuts through the din of rush hour traffic - and the cacaphony of varied, quality music we have to choose from, in this day and age. Folks would love folk music, if when they get the chance to hear it - but it's difficult to get them to turn off the tube, put down the remote and travel out to where they might particpate in some non-edgy folk music festival, concert or similar event. This is similar to Amos's comment above.

But folks who go to pubs, not particularly to listen to folks music, usually enjoy it when the ye get there ... they might even stop chatting now and again to listen - as mentioned above by IanC.

When we get folks to get out to festivals, Celtic, Folk or similiar flavors - and folks hear good folk musicians playing/singing folk music well - folks respond and enjoy it. They buy CDs and listen to it at home. Many never even knew they liked folk music! They'll listen to their new Sandy and Caroline Patton or Kendall Morse CDs at home, along with their favorite Willy Nelson and Journey Cds! Some will find a new home in folk music and discover Doc Watson, Jerry Rasmussen, Altan, The Cheiftains, Bill Monroe, Ed Miller, Art Thieme, Brian McNeill and on and on.

We live in a fast world. There're lots and lots folks all hurrying about. TV is the lowest common denomonator and so Mass marketeers have a good sales tool - but folk music still appeals to folks. And there's lotsa kinds of folk music. We've even got our own edgy, mass market folkies.

As folkies, I'm not sure if we are insular - it is certainly a small crowd folks within this modern world who care as deeply about folk as we do ... but when the dust settles long enough for non-folkies to hear folk; it still has broad appeal.