I don't HAVE an accent eh?

Maybe it's in the water.

Anyway, for what it's worth, Guest, I guess, (and anyone else) here's my theory on regional styles.

A local musician with a LOT of originality becomes very popular...but only in his/her area. Several other local musicians who are influenced by the first, spread it around by touring. The style is picked up by a musician who becomes VERY popular nationally. Many younger musicians hear THIS performer and start to play/sing in that style. Some kind of national media picks up on it, and checks out where it came from. They find a bunch of people back in the original location who play that way. They announce that it's a REGIONAL style.

But in reality it was that first PERSON'S style.

A good example would be this scenario:

Mose Rager plays originally and well. He gets together with Ike Everly and they become very popular...but they are coal miners and don't tour. Merle Travis learns from them, and goes to Cinncinatti, then Los Angeles. Chet Atkins hears him and becomes even more famous. Thousands hear him and play the same style......but it all comes back to Mose.

I think that Gordon Lightfoot and Ian Tyson are the "backbone" of Canadian "style".

Rick