I must agree with just about everything Phil Edwards has written above.

The only issue I might have is to paraphrase the expression "that for evil to occur then it only needs good men to do nothing."

If no one ever challenges what people are promoting / latching onto as folk then the tradition will largely disappear. That in itself might well be a good thing in the short term - at least it will not be sullied by the self seekers.

I am greatly concerned that Whitby Folk Week which was for many years considered a bastion of traditional music is slowly descending into the lowest common denominator that is the music industry.

There are some very strange names on the guest list this year which I would respectfully suggest are not worthy of an event which had an international reputation for presenting the very best of traditional music.