I feel if traditional music is twisted beyond recognition and the emotional content jettisoned, it would be preferable to see the music sleep for a few decades until it is rediscovered and appreciated for what it is and for what it represents - well said, I agree entirely, far too many people who know spout about "folk music" have forgotten, or worse have never realised, what it represents.

You can have all the "innovation", so-called "new initiatives" and "new directions" you like. BUT in doing so by introducing electronica or orchestras into folk you automatically make it more elitist and make it far less likely that "folk" can do anything other than just listen to it. As perfectly stated by Andy7 - "Is there a local jazz club, operatic club, heavy metal club, rock club, where I could just turn up and have a go, with my amateurish tries, among a group of friendly and welcoming people?

While newcomers and beginners are still so welcome at the clubs, there will always be a place for folk music."

The wonderful thing about TRADITIONAL Folk music, about TRADITIONAL Jazz and CLASSICAL music is that singers and musicians can perform it exactly as it was first heard without the need for 1 Watt of electrical power. The great thing about the music that apparently most posting here would seem to rather see adulterated than listen to CAN be performed by ordinary people of wildly varying talents for pleasure. As a musical genre IT HAS NEVER had to chase an audience to guarantee its survival, those wishing to do so, do so in the hope of making money out of it. The vast bulk of singer/songwriters do not write "folk songs", they write, record and offer up for sale what they hope will be a "hit" and that has got nothing whatsoever to do with "folk music".