to be honest, we've heard it all before and it pulled me up in my trax the first time I heard it.

Ewan MacColl said all this in an interview in New Musical Express in 1965 - June I think. It was rubbish then, and its rubbish now. You can't blame Ewan - he'd been beating the drum for folk music for, over a decade and a load of whippersnappers like Donovan and Dylan happened along. he must have been pig sick.

the only thing that sustains any artistic movement - is the energy, creativity of the artists and if they are lucky enough to gain recognition - either before or after death - the audience factor, shall we say.

You are denigrating these artists efforts Richard.

the implication of what you are saying is that these people don't have a place in the folk song movement. Their place is a matter of historical record, and they have made a fabulous contribution to civilisation and culture. And incidentally, they have interested an awful lot of people in traditional material, by presenting it what is initially a more accessible form to modern ears.