Sounds to me like our stateside friends have their own particular sources of grief without us weighing in.

However, please note Richard and John - the number of roots artists over there who are making an unsubsidised living. their roots are nearer the surface - people in America would recognise what they are doing as American music. A more common muse.

All we have is our rarefied airy fairies doing it part time after a hard day as a librarian,etc. Playing music that, for the most they don't give a damn if anyone connects with. And if you told most English people that it was their roots ...they'd laugh at you.

i was at a session last night. the sheer indifference to what the audience was understanding and taking away from the experience had to be seen to be believed. Not a word of explanation, not even telling other musicians what tune it was or what key it was in. It was almost a solitary pusuit in a room full of spectators. if they make love the same way they perform music - there must be some very unsatisfied partners.