As Diane says, EFDSS does not employ me. I am on the National Council, but wasn't at the time of the competition that you won. So I had no allegiance to EFDSS when I saw you sing, and reiterate that, IMHO (which represents no organisation or body except little ol' me), based on my own, PERSONAL definition of what folk song is, I wouldn'ty classify you as a folk singer. I'd call you a singer-songwriter, which in my book is not a pejorative term.

Why the distinction? Purely for reasons of clarity. Otherwise, as I have expressed previously and ad nauseam, I think the F word becomes completely meaningless and we who are genuinely interested in, and somewhat protective of, the tradition need to stop using it and look elsewhere for a suitable term.

BTW, Gene - and this again is only my personal opinion - you really need to get over yourself.