Richard Bridge is as entitled as anyone else to his view on what folk music is or isn't.

Likewise, anyone else is as entitled to their view as Richard.

IMO, trying to stop other people (such as Charmain, the person who started this thread) from even discussing what folk music is or isn't is just plain arrogant and ill-mannered. Why should Charmain or anyone else have to read a document from 50-odd years ago before being allowed to discuss folk music? The fact that this has been discussed ad nauseam before is irrelevant to the poster.

The question raised by Charmain was "What is Folk Music?", not "What do you think of the definition of folk music from the 1954 World Folk Music Council?".

Richard, if you or others think you've 'heard it all before', then feel free to ignore the thread. No-one is saying you have to read it. The clue is in the thread subject.

<flameproof coat ON> :-)