Ok, Jim,that was different enough to warrant attention. I can see you are trying to understand my point of view as much as I am trying to understand yours. Thank you for that. I shall try to make my point clearer.

Sorry - I don't understand your point
An evening of any type of song cannot be a definition of a fol song

That is not the point I am trying to make at all and I shall take responsibility for not making it clear. You are quite right. One cannot be the other but if we go back to one of your early points, IE you go to a folk club to listen to folk music, then that is how the two become meshed.

1. You go to a folk club to listen to folk music.
2. If you are satisfied that the folk club has fulfilled your criteria then the songs presented must have been folk music.
3. If the music presented is a mix of traditional and traditional style contemporary songs then...
4. A mix of traditional and traditional style songs must your idea of what folk music should be.

To me that seems a logical conclusion to a clear thought process. You may disagree but rather than suggest I being dishonest in some way, how about testing my logic and disproving it?

BTW - I would be more than interested in your views on whether the song I learned from my Dad is a folk song. Particularly as he learned it from Gypsies and your particular forte is the music of travelers.

Common ground?

DtG