Don F, I'm not bothered at all about singing "my dark Virginny bride," because it's just a descriptive term like "ma blonde" or "red-haired girl." The word "darkie" is another thing. If I'm not sure my audience will understand the historical perspective, I shy away.   But I'm not talking about singing for "folkie" audiences who are into the historical aspects of my songs.

I have to admit that sometimes I've felt that some observers may have been offended when I did my Al Jolson impression (no blackface, no costume) on "My Mammy" for a Mother's Day program in a senior facility.   There's nothing really racist in the lyrics -- and I grew up with Al Capp's "Mammy Yokum," who was white -- and it's Jolson's hamminess, not his racial attitudes, that I'm aping.   But even though my audiences generally seem to love the song, there have been just enough bystanders (e.g., staffers) who seemed uncomfortable with it that I've tended to substitute some more contemporary songs.