Cheers Sinead, your list reads as quite an enigma. On the one hand you have some really strong older singers from other genres there, and on the other some more arguably tender/fey young singer/songwriters working in a folkish style. It seems to describe a similar disconnect as I see between modern popular female folk artists and earlier revival singers. From your list, I note you don't really cite anyone really young who is cutting edge or dynamic. So the "bridge" you are describing between "contemporary and traditional" is essentially the same as other posters have suggested, ie: one between introspective singer/songwriters who have come to dominate the folk genre, and traditional material itself. In a sense what we could say is this describes an ouroborus like snake circling around and finding its own tail. You, and others too, argue that this is a worthy thing. And maybe it is.. Who am I to disagree? But as a token feminist, believer in strong female role models, and not to mention a new-born traddy, it leaves me decidedly confuddled and uncertain as to what I feel about it all..

My thanks for your input however. Hope to see more of your posts around here in future :)