Hi, Malcolm:

I'll look up the Judge article next time I'm at the library. Thanks.

I enjoyed the "Sharp in America" article. Sharp's prescriptive approach to "correct" forms of folk singing and dancing grates a bit on my anthropological sensibilities, but in that respect he was merely a man of his times. I think we can also put his racist comments down to the wider social and temporal context rather than any deep-seated personal politics.

Mrs. Campbell was apparently the inspiration for the musicologist in the movie "Songcatcher". Indeed, a Sharp-like character arrives at the end of the movie to assist her and continue her work. Much as I enjoyed that movie, I'm mystified why the film-maker chose a fictionalized approach when a more accurately historical account of the 'rediscovery' of Appalachian music would have been every bit as dramatic and etertaining (if not more so).

Poor Sharp having all his teeth pulled! I'll bet that affected his singing afterwards.

As for Odinism, I often wonder to what extent anti-Semitism plays a part in SOME neo-pagans' search for pre-Christian traditions. In some groups, there is an unsettling emphasis on finding a "pure" Northern European tradition, "untainted" by the middle-eastern cultures that gave rise to Christianity. Quite disturbing indeed!

Oh well, pagans run the gamut of political perspective just as folkies apparently do (seeing as we have the right-wing "Wilco48" in our Mudcatter midst).

Cheers, Hester