Joe's made me realize that it's not just the festival organizers, but also the performers themselves who are responsible to include trad. in their repertoire. Some already do that - for instance I love it when David Francey sings an old Scottish tune. If more singer-songwriters did that, it would raise the profile of trad., and maybe nudge the audience to give the more thoroughly trad. artists a listen.

A very closely related issue, I believe, is the demise of the instrumental musician at our festivals. I'm talking about the ones who play an instrument extraordinarily well, but don't sing. One used to be able to go to more instrumental workshops, of various shapes and sizes, and I dare say most of what was played was trad.

If we can't make a distinction between trad. and singer-songwriter, we won't be able to talk about the music that is missing in the festivals. It used to be there. Great folk performers are being shut out. It's very sad, and it's a problem. I'm concerned.

~b.w.