Tony made a good point - "Yes, all this putting of artists into boxes is distracting and somewhat dangerous. But I think we need to be careful and respectful of some of the general boundaries -- and most especially the insidious effects of pop culture on old tunes."

That is very, very true. However, I am a firm believer that this is a living tradition - it will evolve and it should. The first time someone put a microphone in front of a singer the boundaries began changing. Heck, you can even say the first time Cecil Sharp or John Lomax (and those before them)collected a song the boundaries changed sharply.

I'm all for respecting, perserving, and keeping the tradition alive. There is no reason why people can't enjoy a Holly Near and enjoy Aunt Molly Jackson.

I think we all spend to much time worrying about the tradition dieing instead of using that time to keep it alive and growing.

Ron