I couldn't agree more Guest. A tradition must continue to evolve if it is to remain a tradition so in that sense it must be 'of the time' i.e. contemporary.

In the 70s we talked about contemporary folk. This usually meant singer/songwriters with guitars ranging from Paul Simon and Dylan to locals performing newly crafted songs, often love songs. It's interesting that for the most part (Dylan not included) those songs have remained as they are and have not evolved or have disappeared from view. On the other hand the trad songs we were sing have continued, changed, been presented in different formats etc. So the trad songs remain more contemporary than the ex-contemporary songs which, for the most part sound dated (Paul Simon not included).