"Again, why are folks not going out to support live music in small venues, whether it is jazz, blues, dixieland, bluegrass or folk? None of those genres need to be re-defined, they are recognized and apprecitated, but they are not being supported except on the bigger stage of "events," "

I disagree. The small venues that are moving with the times are doing well. The ones that are going to sit back and continue old modes of operation will see a decline. Historically, venues reflect the trends of a younger generation. When the Big Bands were in vogue and the audiences were under 30, the venues were packed. As the audience aged and thinned out, and the entertainment budget was sucked up by family obligations, those venues would see a decline - unless they changed the way they operate and the audience they cater to.

Folk music, jazz and bluegrass are living traditions. The audience matures and the genre DOES go through a re-definition. If you try to avoid that definition change, you are then correct in assuming that your audience will dry out.

Remember, we are talking about audiences - not styles.   I love to watch silent movies, but I'm not expecting to see new silent movies produced. I can enjoy the ones that were preserved, and I can still go to a theater and enjoy what Hollywood and independent film makers are creating today.