Jeri

If you need a word to call them, why not "old"

What constitutes "generations?" If a song is passed from grandfather to father to son is that enough generations for you to call it folk? Or does it have to be 4,5,6 or more generations for it to fit into your "I'll call them folk" folder?

Seems to me that is way too narrow, almost cryptic. And what is this traditional stuff anyway? Traditional to who and how many? Isn't a song like Yellow Submarine already a tradtional children's song? What is the cut-off date for something to not be called traditional.

I raise these questions because of the effetism and snobbery that I have found in my 40 years of association with folksingers and musicians involved with this genre.

My favorite answer to this on-going question is to go to Borders or any music store that sells CDs and see what is in their folk music section. Undoubtably you will find something in that section that you don't think belongs there. Ask the manager if you can move it to suit your opinion and see what he says.