Being one a them danged singer-songwriter types, and also one a them danged traditional music singing fools and having run a festival heavy on traditional music with songwriters like Bill Staines and Gordon Bok(who for some reason slips under the singer-songwriter radar completely) I can truly say I Can See Both Sides Now.

My favorite festivals are those that welcome both traditional music and songwriters who have a love for traditional music that is reflected in their repertoire, and the songs that they write. I loved the Eisteddfod in the years when Howard Glasser was running it, and performed there many times. I loved the balance... tipped heavily toward traditional music, but not condescending toward musicians who wrote songs, too. I would enjoy festivals that are all traditional music, but I don't really know of a single one. There are usually some songs that no one would seriously label traditional. My only gripe about some traditional music is that the musicians forget that the music was played to entertain... not to educate, or most deadly of all, to be revered. Echhhhh!

The only songwriters-only festival I've ever been to I were one of the songwriters... I felt tradition starved by the end of the festival, and would think about doing that again, even though everyone there was enjoyable, warm and friendly. I think that traddies and songwriters should mix fine...

The farmer and the cowman should be friends.

Jerry