The author of "Singing Cowboys and Musical Mountaineers" (I've leant out the book, so can't check) did make some throw-away statement about the blue-grass thing being largely fictionalized. He didn't develop the theme which was a pity ...

And people tend to forget a whole body of 'folk' music when they talk about these things - that is, hymns. Although I don't know anyone who's done any work on it, I remember reading about Fasola - in Song of the Dove? - that its American origins traced back to the Welsh Tract (Pennsylvania was it? I should know that! Shame on me.) and there were other indicators among the 'tradition bearers' that would encourage me to believe that there was a Wales-USA connection there. (And yes, Wales is ALWAYS left out of 'celtic' ... which is why I don't like 'celtic')

And I would suggest that Fasola has a significant effect on American music, yes?

siân