Mattkeen - "I know it when I hear it." That's the best description ever, and if people were happy that their perception of what 'it' is might be different than someone else's, the world would be a better place. I don't think you need the subsequent descriptions.

Greg - he isn't in a connundrum, because as he's said he knows it when he hears it. Native Americans, before English/French etc. got there, had no word to describe 'Freedom'. I don't believe that means they didn't know what it was like to feel free. They just didn't know anything else.

Go Seth!!. I think it's great, nice one leveller for starting this thread. I just listened to 'Setting of the sun' this morning. Trad song, adapted and arranged. Not sure GuestJon how that doesn't bear "a resemblance to anything I'd recognise as folk music", but who cares.

I first got into 'this stuff' via Fairport, who had similar criticism I believe in their early years. I did indeed go onto discover Dubliners, Paddy Tunney, Paddy Reilly, Jos Taylor, AL Lloyd, Planxty, Martin Carthy etc. as well as Chris Wood, Eliza C, Seth L, Bert Jansch, John Martyn etc. etc. Do I feel a similar way about all these artists - yes. Does it really matter whether I think they are 'it' and you don't - No. Would I have got into them without my Fairport intro? Who knows, maybe not? I now organise singarounds and concerts and maybe wouldn't have done had I not been introduced to the genre by a 'borderline' act in terms of definition.

Just off to listen to 'The Ballad of Josie'.