Well I've got to give you it, you have set off a real debate and heres my bit of input.

"Folk music is music made by the people for the people"

Fine but I think it is also fair to say that 'Folk' music pays hommage to its past. Which is where the 'traditional' da-di-da comes into it.

This results in 'Traditional folk music' Now what about 'Contempary Folk Music'

Well I recon this is music written in the traditional iadom but often composed a realativly short time ago (compared to O'carolan which is 200+ years old now) Contempory folk music in todays society is a melting pot of many different types of Traditional Folk Musics resulting in a type of contemoaryufolk music that has never existed before, mainly due to the fact that e-mail, phones etc did not exist.

Traditional styles used to be different in different villages now its more a country sort of thing, thanks to Cars etc...

DON'T WORRY I HAVEN'T LOST MY WAY, Whats NOT FOLK MUSIC?

Well haveing read the above you can probably guess, its music that does not really show any respect or awarness of its past, like pop music. By showiung a respect to your past you are paying respect to the traditions in that music field, and playing folk music at the sametime.

confused? Me Too!!!!!!!!!!!!

Cheers, Sam