A thing that's often on my mind (prepare your weapons)is the possibility of losing the very culture that so many of us seem to be trying so hard to preserve. I've played country (not Nashville), old-time, Irish, Bluegrass, folk or whatever you call it for most of my 43 years. In the eighties I saw people begin to attempt to "decorate their lives", so to speak, with whatever aspect of the "traditional" culture made them feel good, thereby redefining for themselves and, sadly, often attempting to force their own interpretation on the world. In my town, Columbia, SC, there is a regular dance group (old-time and contra) at whose gatherings you had better toe the line. A beer or a hamburger will make you unpopular real fast. I've seen the same thing happening at festivals that used to be good fun, such as the ones in Black Mountain, NC (there the dancers throw elbows like NBA stars if you get in their way, in other words, if you're just trying to learn or to have a good time). Just imagine square dances decades ago if everyone had to be vegetarian, Birkenstock-shod (I wear them every day), and never gave the fiddler a dram. I find this trend disturbing, pervasive, destructive, and downright silly. Let's lighten up. Music, especially in the oral tradition, is supposed to be fun, not something to be pretentious or righteous about. Fire away, tofu and all.

Chet W.