Richard - I would tend to agree with your definition of a folk song. However - to the public at large anyone who stands up with an acoustic guitar is a folk singer. And if you really did write to the editor and say "Today you report that Ani DiFranco is a folk singer. Your ignorance seems to know no bounds." Then you missed the boat. You had an opportunity to educate and instead you chose to insult. Someone said that you should never pick a fight with someone who buys newsprint by the barrel. With fans like you - folk music doesn't need any enemies.