Hi All-

Interesting thread. I have found, much to my chagrin, that when you tell people that you're into "folk music", they dismiss you much like Bluto did to Stephen Bishop's guitar in "Animal House." (An obscure, if overstated, reference, but you know what I mean). The relevance to me personally is that we (a couple friends and I) started a non-profit group last year and chose to call it the "Fondy Acoustic Music Alliance" just to avoid those who would summarily dismiss our events because they were "folk music." (We host jams and have started a concert series).

I, myself, was introduced to "folk music" because of the popularity of the acoustic guitar in songs by such folks as: Crosby, Stills, & Nash, Neil Young, John Denver, Steve Goodman, etc. It was my good fortune to be growing up in the Chicago area when "folk music" (okay "singer/songwriters") were popular. There were two GREAT clubs then-The Earl of Old Town and The Amzingrace. I was fortunate enough to sit up close and personal for concerts by: Steve Goodman, Bob Gibson, Peter Yarrow (solo), Hamid Hamilton Camp and the Skymonters (not a typo-I love their album and wish it would come out on CD), John Hartford, Jim Post, Odetta, Bonnie Koloc, etc. It was through their music that I discovered the roots of folk music.

To me, folk music is music from the heart that can be played by a 16 piece band or on a solo guitar. Folk music speaks of real human events and emotions.

Ah, the age thing, I am a baby boomer. Nearly 41 and aging fast as I just attended the wedding of a young man who was but a wee first grader my first year of teaching.

Happy Days,

Steve from Wisconsin