One of the reasons folk music as a whole is as vibrant and self-renewing as it is is that it tolerates and nourishes the regeneration of old forms into new communications. The burden on the listener is to be able to hear what is there now rather than insist on partsing it through a stuck picture of how a song is supposed to be because an earlier singer sang it that way That's the folk process in play.

Singer-songwriters (in my opinion) need the greatness of heart to tolerate and enjoy this happening with their songs as well, as it is indeed a sincere compliment.

A