Quote-Mudjack:"It was the Elektra Folk Box that educated me to the fact that folk music was real and not a pop time of Kingston Trio and Limeliters. I still have my Folk Box and the worn out scratchy contents."

Spose y'all know where this is going, but hold onto yer screams for a bit--please. Maybe not the universal opinion here but I don't think you can simply dismiss the ENTIRE "pop" genre if that's what you wanna put the KT, Limeliters (hey at least you know how to SPELL their name) PP&M, etc. in EXCLUSIVELY. Now I'm in over my head a bit on this one; first, I have no idea what y'all listened to across the Pond (other than the aforementioned Lonnie Donnegan and buskers, etc.); also, I don't own or haven't heard of a lot of others mentioned in this thread. And I got nothing against giving the likes of Dave Macon, the Weavers, Gateway Singers, Almanac Singers, Burl Ives, Woody Guthrie, and some "folk boom" folks like Eric Anderson, Richard & Mimi Farina, Baez, Dylan, Ochs, Paxton, Von Ronk, Ian & Sylvia their due. Also glad to see someone mentioned the "Brothers" acts: Delmore, Stanley and Monroe. Bluegrass too--Earl, Dillards, etc.

But I think you have to include the Kingston Trio-"most influencial album" debate aside (and in spite of all the crap me and Martin Gibson took from that shouldda taught me to shut up but I'm a slow learner and stubborn too); there were other so-called "pop" groups-not just the KT "wannabees" that had some chops, good playing and singing/original song-writing:-yeah-the Limeliters (Lou Gottlieb was no one's fool-and penned some decent stuff himself). PP&M is still around and performing, although I read where Mary is battling leukemia. Just because they were popular doesn't automatically make them poison. And the KT had a pretty darn good songwriter too in its second incarnation-John Stewart-who more than one has called today's Woody Guthrie (and not just some buncha sycophants).

Now I'm no one note Johnny, or lookin' to start up with a buncha folks again. I have my personal reasons which I mentioned before for being a fan of who I'm a fan of. So if you wanna bash my post, fine-no skin off my nose. Like I said before too, it's all words in the ether. And if you wanna include Hawaiian in the mix, how can you ignore Gabby Pahanui? And I hear his son's no slouch either. Guess it's all in how you wanna define "folk music"-and my definition may be a bit broader and younger than some here.

I will say the pop folk era at least stateside spewed out a lot of junk not worth paying much attention to...may've even sold well in the stores. Frankly-I never "got" the whole Dylan thing beyond his lyrics and early stuff. Isnt much on a guitar, and vocally to my ear mostly sucked. OK-had my little say.