Well said Art!    I think the "problem" is that there is little respect between the commercial camps and the traditional camps.   Fans of each style tend to deride each other and hurl abuse.   

I have seen first hand how traditionalists will look down their nose at singer-songwriters.   I was at a festival once speaking with a gentleman who is a recognized collector of traditional music, mainly from the U.K. and Ireland.   When I mentioned a singer-songwriter, he abruptly stopped me and said he was not interested in that kind of music. Now, I certainly respect and appreciate the work of the purists, and my radio program probably leans towards that side. I do think the purists need to open up a bit and realize that folk music in the future will be different than it is today.

At the same time, I also think that some singer-songwriters should explore the roots a bit more and it will help them fashion more interesting songs. Folk has become a four letter word to some people, and that is a real tragedy.   American artists tend to neglect their folk heritage while I notice that the English, Scottish and Irish tend to embrace their roots and incorporate it in modern stylings.   Folk music is a living tradition and it is not meant to sit on a shelf in a museum. Singer-songwriters would do themselves a huge favor by studying the work of the collectors.

While it may be impossible to trace the folk process from some of the ballads that were collected in the past, it will be relatively easy to see the evolution of current songs as they are carried into the future - thanks to technology and the established work of collectors in the present.

Folklorists in the future will examine the styles and impact of the commercial groups like the Weavers (the original commercial folk group), the Kingston Trio, the Limeliters and the rest. There is a lot to be enjoyed and a lot to learn from their style of music. It should not be dismissed.

When I go to a buffet, I like to sample everything.   I won't fill up on the soup or the cheese tray. I always save room for desert. Music should be the same.