Thanks Brian - some very good points there and I totally agree with you that it is up to the next generation to decide what to do with the songs.

From what I have witnessed - and Granny's Attic are an excellent example - they are in very safe hands. Re communicating the background to the songs to the audience, Jim Moray did this very well during his recent set at Musicport. All of the young (or youngish!) singers I have heard and met have huge respect for the source material but they, quite rightly want to put their own stamp on it - whether that is keeping close to the original - as I would say Granny's Attic tend to do, or rocking them up like the Whiskey Priests did with mining songs in the 90's (and more recently when they reformed), or using electronica (Jim Moray, Broadcaster) or small orchestral or brass ensembles (Jim Moray again, Bellowhead, Unthanks). That in my view is what will keep the music alive for people to enjoy in the future in whatever venues exist in the future.