labelling music is always dangerous but its necessary too - for the same reason we label tins.

how important is this label in this case? well lets just say its helpful to use terms which do not mislead.

I'd use treaditional singer to describe people who acquired their songs mostly by aural means, a few sheets perhaps, but not, on the whole, recordings, because they were not around yet.

I'd use source singer only to describe singers who were actaully collected, wherever they got their songs from.

to sing in a tradional style is another thing, as is to sing a traditinal song.

I'm happy to call people like Brian a revival singer, because they haven't only got songs from people or print and they're working after recording changed everything.

I'm as songwriter influenced by trad material.

its easy to be precise if youre prepared to use a few more words.

problems only occur when people dont