"Bob Copper, in a documentary just before he passed away, admitted falling "hook-line-and-sinker" for American blues when it first reached England...but later went back to singing unaccompanied or in close-harmony with family"

I only had the honor of meeting Bob Copper once, and while I would never claim to know the man's thoughts, I think I can safely say that the above statement is probably the most twisted interpretation in an attempt to blame "globalization" that I've heard on these threads.

I did hear Bob Copper profess his love for the blues, and he was not apologizing for it.   From what I gather, Bob was open to new ideas and he realized that the culture that his family preserved was as important and as interesting as the culture that developed the blues. He had an open mind and did not allow himself to fall prey to bigoted thoughts that would have blinded him from experiencing other cultures. Yes, Bob Copper sang the blues, and yes he continued (not went back) to singing with his family as he did his whole life. He was not a one-trick pony and he did not look at life through blinders.

The attack on "globalilzation" seems to be a simple-minded paranoia that truly doesn't understand what the term means. (I love it when someone from a country that for years called themselves the Empire where the sun never sets blames America for trying to force itself on the rest of the world!).

Music and culture should be treated like a stew - it isn't run through a blender. You can always enjoy the bits and morsels of each ingredient and taste the distinct flavors that is added - when you finish a bowl of all these bits, you are fullfilled.