Thomas the Rhymer? Cool handle. How many people here know it's a Steeleye Span song? Have you credited them? Not that I find that essential, but as one of the greatest and most underrated bands of all time, they deserve all the plugging they can get.

I'm with the folks who like to discover the unknown cuts on a CD. Oftentimes that "filler" turns out to be real gems. As far as radio stations and performers playing hits over and over, yes, it annoys the heck out of me, too, but it all comes down to commerce. Give the people what they want. Blame the mindless masses. Who was it that said there's no accounting for taste?

Another good thing about buying CDs online is that whenever I used to go to record stores, they wouldn't have what I was looking for. That happened, I'd say, about 80% of the time, without exaggeration. Online I can find anything in print, and almost everything out of print.

Regarding that slick, homogenized junk coming out of Nashville some call "country," if you want good lyrics and virtuoso musicianship with your "country" by people who really mean it, go with bluegrass.