Yes...but the affordability issue is still a bear. Who of us can spend the money, even if the recordings are easily available, which they're often not?

Examples of voices and instruments that could form an archive of traditional classics: Davie Stewart's "Bogie's Bonny Belle" (recorded long ago, I have no idea of its present availability). Brenda Wootton's "Lamorna" (on a very obscure British CD). Or, from the States, the fiddling of Georgia's Joe Lee, who never was recorded except on a home machine. The banjo songs of Land Norris (1920s, few if any available). The magnificent vocals of Horton Barker (recorded on Library of Congress, yes, Folkways, yes, available through Smithsonian, but... again...you can't afford 'em all). Or how about the McPeake Family of Belfast, or "The Muckle Sangs", a great Scots ballad compilation, or...but the list is endless.

What I had in mind was some form of recordings website that would be ***as free to the user as Digitrad is.*** !

And, of course, that's where the rub comes! Everyone's rights would need to be provisionally waived, or tailored somehow, for this single use. It mustn't compromise performers' or record companies' rights intolerably...on the other hand, ideally, it would serve as a promotion to whet hearer's curiosity about the companies' catalogs.

Would this mean that complete recordings could never be included, and variations would have to be sacrificed??? A great shame (especially, say, with constantly varying fiddle tunes like "Wolves Howlin'" or "Bonaparte's Retreat," and with ballads whose singers change tune and approach with every verse)...

But the archive should contain substantial samples, at least---more than the tiny snatches now offered by record companies through the various CD sales websites: one or two verses and chorus, or, with instrumentals, at least the first runthrough of all parts of the tune. At least enough to give the hearer melody, sound and style enough to enable him/her to mate melody with text and style, and sing the song or play the tune as authentically as possible.

The archive would also be a resource to students who want to do scholarly work, musicologists, musicians from other disciplines and forms who want to enlarge their knowledge of the real thing...etc.

What's interesting is that already, in scattered places on the web, excellent traditional recordings already ARE available, free. For example the Brenda Wootton "Lamorna," thanks be, is quietly archived complete on a website, accessible free to any hearer. I'm sure there are many other examples.

So the principle is established. It helps that we're not dealing with big money-makers here---no smash hits. Just a sound archive that can teach and inform us who want to carry on, or celebrate, the traditions.

Maybe a start could be made if singers and pickers offered a selection of their own stuff? Essentially that's how Digitrad proceeded...like many others, I was asked for permission to use my songs, and I freely gave it.

DT gurus, if you're listening in, is there a germ of something here that could begin on this website, or on a sister website? Or is it utterly out of the question for you? Granted you're already running a big operation.

Yeah, like David Copperfield, I guess I'm naive enough to bring up my bowl and ask, "More, please?" But I think a lot of people might be interested.

Expressions of interest, anyone? Ideas?

Bob