Would it be too simplistic to speak of an Anglo-Celtic musical tradition that takes into account the cross-fertilization and musical sharing / borrowing that obviously has taken place over national boundaries and across time and space? ('across time and space'- how's that for corny?) Coming from an American perspective, I was personally annoyed to read stuff by Cecil Sharp and others about 'English Folk Songs in the Southern Appalachians' and crap about pure-blooded anglo-saxons when musically the Appalachian tradition is a mess of Scots-Irish, English, Scottish, Irish, Welsh, etc. influences and styles blending into something that has elements of all, but clearly is not one to the exclusion of the others. Something like this debate has gone on regarding the black / white origins and evolution of American musical forms and styles. As if it's one or the other....

Michael Morris