"Peggy Seeger is more than just Ewan MacColl's widow"
Of course she is but her appeal was made as just that which is why I broke the habit of a lifetime to refer to her as such - that's not usually what I do
Peggy does have a new partner but she cerytainly hasn't moved on - she has incorporated her new life int what she gor by working with Ewan anfd the Critics
I know this as a fact as I visited and interviewed her a few years ago when we helped make a two hour long programme tribute to Ewan on his centenary   
We met a couple of times before and since and have ben in correspondence regarding the work we are doing on Ewan and the Critics - she remains as dedicated as she ever was
Grandfather-suck eggs and all that

This is and always been a case of digging up someone - had it been a critical discussion of his work I would have welcomed it with open arms
The Radio Ballads - The Big Hewer among the foremost introduced the voice of working people to the wide public in a way no other media production had or has since
They were powerful statmants of identity by the communities cand groups covered and that was their value
That they produced songs that have become world-wide classic cs was an added bonus, especially those about Travellers which were absorbed into their communities
Your views on them are no more than your views
Ben Harker's input on The Radio Ballads made little impact, as far as I'm concerned - the best work by far on them was 'Set into Song' by Peter Cook
Bonker's bajo music - are you sure you are not talking about John Axon which was a toe dip into the series and largely jazz based - nevertheless it was that one that took the world by storm
The Later ones became Italia prize entries and one a winner
The most powerful one, The Travelling People was so successful in its objective of exposing the prejudice towards and the hardship of the people it covered that it frightened the Establisment orientated BBC into abandoning the series and eventually ridding itself of "this turbulent director' the principled and dedicated sound-genius Charlie Parker
When the programme was finished the Beeb in their wisdom, demanded that the "exterminate the impossibles" statement be removed - the team refused and it was left in - the series expanded with a bang, but the Travellers were left with improved condidtions because of the contribution the Travelling People made to the campaign to get a better deal for them
You prefer Ry Cooders clever-clever tricksiness - your taste - I prefer my songs where the accompaniment accompanies, leaving the words to speak for themselves

You don't need to sprint to an 'expert' to learn how good the Radio Ballads were - listen to them with an open mind
I hope this apect of the discussion can now be put to bed and we can get down to discussing Ewan as an artist who preferred so share his researches and abilities rather than sell them - that's the Ewan I knew and still respect
Jim Carroll