"But these were promises made in an era before the advent of millions of worldwide amateur and pro bedroom project studio and Laptop music producers."
You appear to believe we recorded what we did on a cylinder machine some time in the early part of the 20th century.
We started recording in the early 1970s and we are still doing so - our latest victim is a 95 year old singer with a stunning repertoire, mainly of classic ballads and narrative songs.
We got to know all our singers pretty well and interviewed them at length about their musical tastes and the function that their songs served - all of those interviews are up for grabs in the archives mentioned.
Our latest singer is highly critical of how the old songs are being sung by the younger singers he hears frequently on the radio "they don't seem to have any idea of what they are about" I'd have nightmares imagining what he'd say if we allowed anybody to add accompaniments to his 'Lord Bateman' or 'Lord Lovel' or 'Katherine Jafferey' or 'Keach in the Creel' - I'm damn sure we would never get another song out of him, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't request that we erased what we have recorded already.
Personally, I believe it to be artistic vandalism to take another's creation and change it because you believe it needs 'improving' - sort of like giving Hamlet a happy ending.
Technology may evolve, taste remains with the individual - and with those who took down what they passed on.
Quite frankly, ifg I believed that I was obligated in any way to pass on what we have been given to people in order to do with them what they wished, I would pack them off to one of the Fort Knoxs I mentioned, along with our opinions of the singers concerned and let posterity sort it out.
I love accompanied song supplied by singer/musicians such as the fine Appalachian singers I was weaned on, but Folkie Plasticine to be moulded at will as tastes changed - thanks, but no thanks.
Jim Carroll