I tend to agree with Malcolm but also Peter K here. Go over to BBC News.com and read about the thousand people hono(u)red for showing up at work on time for twenty years or something similar. The old spouse is outraged that if Sting was knighted (we _think_ he was), then why not Jeanie or Martin or Bob Copper? I explained that it's likely because Sting brought much more money into the UK and that's always been the realm reason for a knighthood.

Still, as said, it's something.

My casual (no research behind it) list of folk honorees, ALL MBEs:

Robert James Copper, MBE. Author and Performer (should also be savant)
Jimmy Shand, MBE
Anthony James ("Lonnie") Donegan, MBE
Aly Bain, MBE
Martin Dominic Forbes Carthy, MBE
Maddy Prior, MBE
3 members of The Singing Kettle:
        Cilla Fisher, MBE
        Artie Trezise, MBE
        Gary Coupland, MBE
Roy Bailey, MBE
Derek Bell, MBE
Jeanie Robertson, MBE

Here in the US, we do a much better job with the Kennedy honors & Presidential medals. Slight problem is they don't seem to be announced, publicised or archived as far as I've seen. Occasionally one learns that someone has become an Official State Troubador but that usually only lasts a year or three. (Eg, Caroline & Sandy Paton were the State Troubadours of Connecticut in 1996 - also more than richly deserved but fleeting.)

No; as has been said, Money makes the World go 'round.