steve1,

The CBC definition means that the Folk Music Revival is not folk music. The Revival in the States depended chiefly on the sale of recordings. If recordings are not media, then this definition might work. Except that the Kingston Trio would not be folk music because they relied heavilly on media for the sale of their recordings as did the Weavers. The Kingston Trio and the Weavers therefore do not do folk music. (Whew!)

Geoff, it was Big Bill Broonzy.

Roger,

The quote is when Bill was asked if the music he did was folk music, he said, "I ain't never heard no horses sing it."

JonW,

The definition is thorny because Mozart wrote the tune for Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (considered durable and a folk song.) Schubert Leider has gone into aural transmission in Germany as well and is considered folk music.

I think the most important ingredient is this. It is subject to change and variations over a period of time by many people. A shorter definition: a folk song is a variant of an original source that persists.

Frank