Being both a folkie and a singer/songwriter I don't see that there is usually any need for a conflict. The only time that I get upset is when someone is billed as folk singer at a concert and turns out to be a poor singer/songwriter.

It depends on how you define 'folk' as to where you 'define the distinction' sometimes I think that the distinction is very fine. If someone writes a parody of a traditional song, is that folk? Maybe, sometimes, I'm not sure.

You could probably describe The Philadelphia Folk Song Society as 'now a singer/songwriter venue with only a few folk acts'. It used to bother me, but now I feel quite happy singing my own stuff at their 'sings'.

The sad thing I see is that there is a trend away from folk songs, so I usually perform one or two at a sing.

Bert.