You can tell the majority of folk music followers are middle-aged by the often repeated " He's only 23 ... " or what ever. Paul McCartney was 20 when The Beatles had their first hit ( George was 19 ) but that fact didn't seem important at the time; and there are endless other examples; Bert Jansch, for instance, was 19 or 20 when he recorded his amazing first album. No, it's only middle-age that causes such wonderment at "young" talent.