I remember Digance used to do a song called Bury My heart at Wounded Knee. Way back.

American subject but unmistakably English. I don't think its anything to do with accent, or song form. We're English. We see things through different glasses. That's why its English folksong, designed to be sung to the supposedly more intelligent people you once found in English folk clubs.

Somewhere in the 70's , it went wrong though. A very vocal and self righteous minority took possession of the part of the folk music movement with political clout. They said they were clever, but in actual fact they were deaf to the 'English' cadences in Martyn, Renbourn, Jansch, Donovan and McTell.(Yes i know Scottish in three cases, but it wasn't Jimmy Shand stuff).

There are inheritors of that proud tradition. Young Sanjay Brayne is going to be a very important one for this generation - raised as he was on his Dad's recollections of Gerry Lockran and Roger Brooks. He SO envies our generation - having met and known these great musicians. Happily he never knew the prejudice, envy and silliness that drove them to work so much abroad.

Lets hope he never does.