Jim Carroll:
Nowhere has it been suggested that the 'folk' are unable to create their own songs and music, but that, thanks to the development of and accessibilty to technology, they no longer do so. They/we have become passive recipients of, rather than participants in our culture.

Jim, with respect, that's not 100% true. I was at a singaround in a Surrey village last Monday, in which at least a couple of the songs were about the village and the area and had been composed by the senior member many, many years ago. The whole company sang them with obvious knowledge of the words (and not an instrument in sight). And good, rousing songs they were too. My intention is to get the words and music "down" at the next meeting in August.

What other pockets of such activity - which I think meets your criteria above - might exist elsewhere, without it being common knowledge?