Oh unnamed Guest: I love traditional music, respect and value it greatly. And I respect what you have said. It grieves me that so few people have an interest in it anymore. My difference in perspective is that if traditonal music is to be revered and preserved, I think it would be better served to take it out to the "folk," not limit it to folk clubs and folk societies. If I sing Three Nights drunk for a group of people who have no idea what folk music is, and in honesty, no interest in the proper definition, they respond to the song. They don't give a damn who recorded it, or where I learned it, or how many variants there are or whether Cecil Sharp collected it. All they have is the song, not presented in hushed reverence. Just the song. And they love it. If we love and value the songs, we should trust them enough to set them free in the world, not carefully nurture them in the nest. I've done Coal Man Blues at a street fair in an inner city area and people got up and danced to it.

We need something greater than folk enclaves. We need to take the songs back to the people; most of whom have no idea what folk music is.

Trust the music.

Jerry