this dangerously encroaches on that dreaded topic, "what is a folk song?"

As far as the "Band" is concerned, their output in my opinion is not the history of American folk music but a popularization of a kind of rock music.

I think Stephen Foster is a lot closer to that history than the "Band". But Foster aside,
there is so much to the history of American folk music that is not being presented even here.

American folk music may be one of the most misunderstood forms of expression
in the world today.

On Mudcat, there are people with varying tastes in music but few of them really
know much about the history of folk music. There are some here who do.
Others are content to express their opinions and these are based a lot by what they hear on the radio and the alternative media. I think American folk music by in large is being ignored by those who claim to know what it is.

On Mudcat, opinions are plenty but many are short on study or fact.

Frank Hamilton