JP2, maybe you want to listen to anything MK did outside of Dire Straits. Which means anything in the last 10 years (plus some before that with Notting Hillbillies, etc). All these have been in the American-folk style. Not British trad folk, but then Woodie Guthrie wasn't much like British trad folk either, right? If you only know MK's work through Dire Straits and rock anthems like Money for Nothing, you don't know enough to pass judgement.

And maybe you even want to listen to a large amount of what he did in Dire Straits as well. For folk (or easily adapted to folk style by removing electric guitar), try: In the gallery, Lions, Romeo and Juliet, Les boys, Why worry, Ride across the river, Brothers in arms. For blues, try: In the gallery (again), Industrial disease, One world, Fade to black. For a leg to stand on, try: finding one, cos you ain't got one right now... ;-)

Graham.

PS. I'm from Lancashire...