> All of these songs have a "provenance," a history, like a piece of antique furniture. People have "used" these songs. None of them were "fresh from the workshop" or written on the bus last week. They've all been around awhile.

"Folk" is thus one of the least popular musical genres in the English-speaking world. Even pseudo-folk is an also-ran compared to hiphop, CW, etc.


> But "Lord Randal" is still a traditional (folk) ballad.

But that doesn't make George London a "folk singer."

Or...does it?...