I just thought it would be interesting to explore exactly what our expectations are of anyone who may be described as a folkie. It would be good to understand the UK perception and those of our colleagues from the USA and Canada, in fact, anywhere.

And just to make it fun (with just a pinch of mischief) I will offer a few possible questions to discover those who really qualify. At the end of this thread I think we should find a panel to consider entries and they should put forward their suggestions for: "Folkie of the Year 2008". It would also be good to have a way of formally recognising qualified folkies, perhaps a badge a little like the MacDonalds badge with a fully qualified folkie having five pint pots (other suggestions welcome). So, what questions do we need to ask to find those answers which define a folkie?

What sort of Folk Music should a real folkie listen to?
What sort of, so called, Folk Music should a real folkie not listen to?
What does a real folkie drink?
What sort of car would a folkie drive, if any?
What sort of house would a folkie live in?
Do real folkies need to be computer and internet experts?
Folkie Dress Code?
Political leaning?
Sexual Orientation? (Bluegrass fans can ignore this one)
Formal Educational Qualifications?
What hobbies do real folkies have?
What is the ideal form of employment for a folkie?
Should folkies be Morris Dancers?
Married or single?
Could a folkie ever be considered a real folkie without a tankard?

Have fun, try not to be too serious and please add more qualifications of your own. We will then discover what it means to be a real folkie.

All the Best

Alan