I'm sure Mr. Polshaw can speak for himself, but I think he meant that the days of oral tradition that was exemplified by the Copper Family collection has long gone.
Dave Polshaw
Sorry, Bryan, I should have realised that not everyone would have understood that I actualy meant that the the days of collecting lots of songs from people like the Copper family are long gone. I take it you did not understand the meaning rather than purposely misinterpreting my comment purely to discredit the thread? Surely no-one would do that would they? ;-)
There seems to be a considerable difference between what you said and what you meant even if Ron did understand it. Bear in mind that there is something approaching religious reverence for the Copper family in this neck of the woods. They are far from long gone. Bob's children and grandchildren represent a living tradition. Most of the people round here who sing their songs learnt them directly, not from books or recordings. I really don't want to get involved with this thread let alone disrupt it although I will follow it with interest. I hope you don't think I was being disruptive on the Collapse of the Folk Clubs thread. I was genuinely trying to put over a case I believe in.