Very interesting comments. Thank you all for your thoughts. Mark Cohen's comments reminded me of something I read...so I dug it out.

In the liner notes to the Highwoods String Band "Feed Your Babies Onions" compilation CD, Walt Koken writes retrospectively:

Ironically, the more well known we became as a band, the less necessary we were to the growing old-time music scene, since one of the messages of the music is to do it yourself - unplug it, and take it home!

There are some folks who are trying to do both...old-time and singer-songwriter. Beverly Smith and Carl Jones are a perfect example. They put on a great show and Carl's songwriting is superb, IMHO.

-Greg