Going back to Dick's original post and drawing comparison with Classical music. The classical music world is littered with highly technically proficient young musicians who have burst upon the scene, scored some commercial sucess and then vanished. Some without trace, some reappear years later and at that point have added experience, not just of music but of life, to their technique and a very few become virtuosos.

The youth drive in classical music is commercial and it sella records for a short time. In the end it is those who make the complete package who have long careers. The same may be true of folk music.

Concering classical musicians (and remember there are as many strands of "classical music" as there are folk) I think that they can play folk music well IF they learn the idioms as well as the notes. Shining example, the late, great, Derek Bell.

All the best

Steve Ogden