Nick,

The problem is one of a broader perspective than a narrowing of definitions.
The educators are not at fault because their education was limited. Most of the people
who evaluate folk music today are not aware of other kinds of music and what they contribute to the folk process. There has always been an interactive relationship between formal musical composers and what we know as folk music. Many self-styled folk authorities have never heard of Jussi Bjorling or Cecil Taylor. It reinforces the old
bromide that "a little knowledge is a dangerous thing". In short, folk music educators
have not been doing their job well enough, so you may have a point there.

To put a limitation on folk as to 60's or 70's is missing the point that folk music transcends eras or trends. There are so many practitioners in the folk revival that were at one time known but now forgotten as well as many traditional artists who emanate from
a specific cultural milieu. I remember that a narrow view of folklorists such as the one who refused to have Joan Baez at a UCLA folk concert because she wasn't "authentic" enough really caused a breach which didn't have to be there.

I submit that the very definition of folkmusic implies evolution and change. As there are
no pure racial stocks, there is no pure folksong as much as that concept has been idealized by romantic ex-urbanites or college sophomores.

Even at the period of the late 1940's and early 50's, the notion that folk music was somehow recognized is to deny the point that many of those who grew up in the Left-Wing Popular Front era did not support folk but preferred to dance to Benny Goodman.

Judy Collins is a fine artist and singer. "Turn Turn" is a Pete Seeger classic. In the sense that the song may be a folk-styled song, it doesn't represent a particular "folk" culture.
Judy has the breadth of musicianship and sophistication to know what's "folk" and what's not. She is a highly trained singer not unlike those who aspire to art song or opera or the best of popular music or Broadway stage. I never thought she was a folk singer in the way that we have come to know the term, although, like Jo Stafford, she did sing folksongs
quite well with a great deal of artistic integrity. "Texas" Gladden or Almeda Riddle she wasn't. (Jeannie Robertson or Margaret Barry as UK examples).

I don't know Jenna Reid, Christine Kydd or Janet Russell but I'm sure I would enjoy them
beside the fact that I appreciate "Big Bill" Broonzy or Doc Boggs as well. It is not confusing to me that they may sound different and have respective dissimilar musical backgrounds.


Ewan's raison d'etre was to revive the unaccompanied ballad tradition in music and I think he popularized this very well as did A.L. Lloyd and Frank Warner over here. They were concerned with the traditional aspects of folk music and not singer/songwriters which is
a different genre these days.

Although I am not familiar with Bob Copper and have heard the Watersons on occasion, I can attest to the fact that Taj Mahal has grasped and mastered the tradition from which he emanates.

I think that as a lover of music, you are not trapped into a wrong definition but perhaps
a narrowed definition given to you by those who have an incomplete grasp of music.

Much of what can be learned about any specific musical form is highly accessible today.
All it requires is the requisite time to absorb this information. The problem is that
the marketing of music tends to be about trends rather than valuable info.

Frank Hamilton