Don. My point exactly.
I play Duet Concertina, When I took it up in 1973, there were very few players (as far as I knew), and you could buy them relatively cheaply.
This autumn will see the release of a triple CD set Duet International, featuring at least 50 of the best Duet players from around the world. I predict that the price of Duets (If you can find one) will soar.
I also agree with Howard too. but, Howard and I live in a much smaller country than our friends over the water.
I'm sure in the USA there must be small towns in isolated areas, where little or no live music is played, sadly.
But,as you say, we all live in a global village now. The media and the internet, along with books etc, have changed everyones perception.
Nobody (apart from maybe the North Koreans and the Chinese!) has the excuse that anything and everything is available at the click of a mouse, if you want to look for it.
But that's the key word....WANT.
If people don't want to find something, they are not going to look for it.
Ramming crap music down their throats isn't going to make it any more pleasurable.
I can't stand avocados, so I avoid them like the plague.
Also, remember that 25 years ago, we couldn't have been having this conversation, except by letter or expensive phone calls.
That's how small the world has become.