"quite. which proves that definitions such as traditional singer are not very important" – GSS

So why so much debate on who is and who isn't? And does Eliza Carthy's comment prove anything at all, other than that she has a much broader concept of "traditional singer" than most of the correspondents here? Eliza has spoken, so there's no longer any argument...

"ELIZA CARTHY IS IN MY OPINION A REVIVAL SINGER ,BUT WHAT REALLY MATTERS IS THAT SHE IS GOOD" – GSS

Surely that's a separate issue entirely?

Bit of biography here. I was born and grew up in rural Northumberland, and, like almost everybody around me, had a nodding acquaintance with Tyneside songs of the Blaydon Races, Cushie Butterfield sort. My mother sang Dance To Yer Daddy to me as an infant. Does that make me a traditional carrier of these songs? And if not, why not? I'm prepared to be disappointed...