Ron et al-

"Charley brought up the National Folk Festival"

Yes, I did and while I described it as an forum for world ethnic music I was also whining about our experience in Maine where groups such as my own (traditional style sea music) were excluded because we didn't represent a particular ethnic or regional group. We argued with the Festival coordinators that Maine had a long sea-faring past (present and future), and we were part of that on-going tradition. We also argued that as individuals some of us had grown up with this music all our lives. However, not one single individual or group based in Maine who does sea music has ever appeared at the National Folk Festival when it was based in Bangor, or at its successor The American Folk Festival.

There were some representatives of lumberjack folk songs balladeers in the initial festival, but they soon were dropped from the program as mere "folk song revivalists."

It's also true that contemporary music groups were also excluded, but their exclusion appeared to have more logic.

Maybe our experience was unique. I certainly hope so.

Charley Noble