And Perry Como, Bing Crosby, Edith Piaf, John McCormack, Tiny Tim, Big Mabelle, Little Richard, Fats Waller, Moose Mahem, so many others, and, yes, the beatles were all "good" too------even great if you will.

But not folk.

Never were.

Never pretended to be.

Never wanted to be.

Just allow that these categories exist and like youth always has done, you are trying to push the envelope even before the older generation is dead and cannot answer you in this good forum.
If, after we are dead you manage to get a huge majority of people to agree with your assumptions you will still be way off the mark. I know that isn't democratic, but it is true. Just wait a bit more and those after you will possibly/probably return to the seriously considered and thought-full posings of those that did the first collecting. From deep within the soil on which you tread so willfully and unknowingly, I will chortle quietly.

I hope you read this then -- and hear me guffawing to myself beneath your feet. Yes, Max's spiritual children will still be making the last hundred years of this forum available.

Art Thieme