Some how I am getting the feeling we have been here numerous times. It would be interesting to recall ones earliest introduction music. I know my earliest contact was through my Mum and (maternal) Grandad singing to us as part of the goodnight ritual. The only books we had in our house were a set of encyclopaedia britanica that a travelling sold Mum whilst Dad was out and the odd library book when we were old enough to catch a bus into the village where there was a library; where is this taking us - well it is as near as I got to the oral/aural tradition of remembering songs as opposed to learning songs. I think the written word and mass literacy may have changed the way our brain stores information, my understanding of the folk tradition is less about content but how it is processed, stored and retrieved,. When I get really pissed approaching semiconsciousness I come out with music hall songs that I don't recognise at all when I am sober, presumably from my grandfather who's father was a music hall and later, silent movie pianist, similarly I sing songs that I assume my mother used to sing which I cannot recall at all when sober, it must have come from the bedtime songs and stories that are locked up in my memory. The second contact was through the family gatherings when each family member would get up and do their party piece my older cousin's remember my (paternal) grandad singing "Jack the Carters Lad", he died when I was an infant so I have no memory of this, my Dad sang "South of the Border", Mum sang "Don't Fence Me In", and Aunt Helena sang a version of "Rose of Allandale", Cousin John sang "The vicar of Bray", accompanying himself on the piano when in his own parlour, I recited poetry from a book. For me the tradition is not the genre but the act of getting together and doing it, it is less about the songs and more about the culture of participation. Pop music is associated with listening and not joining in with (festivals excepted but that is hardly a frequent occurrence) and getting more so with earphones, probably started with the broadsheets and music halls, rot set in a long time ago! I have a very eclectic taste in music that I listen to but I get bored very easily so I prefer a mix but when I am singing it is different, I am a bit of a slut in that respect, I will join in and try to find a harmony to anything but it is far easy to do it to songs from what is termed to be the traditional genre cos by and large the range is not difficult and the ones that have stood the test of time have a lot in for the singer (is that darwin in action?) So does one have to be a farm labourer to sing farm labouring songs or enjoying farm labouring songs? Do you have to be a moron perform, or listen to Drum and Bass? Ok, I see where my argument falls down ! But I think the arguments about genre are pointless, just as the arguments about revival and tradition are utterly futile it's like the Judean Popular Front versus the Popular Front for Judea, who is the the top dog! Far too much energy is expended arguing whether one tosses the coin with the left or right hand and not enough time spent on the result of the toss.