"learned songs within the family (the great majority of the singers on 'Voice of the People' for instance)"
Sorry Brian - a bit misleading this - we met quite a few of the V.O.T.P. singers at one time or another (some of them are our recordings) and as far as I can see after a quick glance, although it is true that they got their songs from within the family, all those families came from living or recently deceased traditions.
"so even today we still find individuals within certain communities (travellers spring immediately to mind) who still make and hand on music for their own entertainment."
Have said it before, but the Traveller communities we met, and, I suspect elsewhere, lost their song traditions to portable televisions, pool tables, juke boxes and TV sporting channels, some time back in the mid seventies. There are some signs of a re-stirring of interest in these communities, here in Ireland, and, I believe, in Scotland, but this is largely due to interest and encouragement from some folk clubs and to education establishments such as those at Aberdeen and Limerick giving a practical push. This renewed interest spreads can possibly be described as revivals themselves.
Must go - Triffid-like New Zealand Flax calls!
Jim Carroll