"" 2.Contemporary music in the style of traditional folk music."

So, yes, to be considered "folk" by that definition would be to write songs in the style of traditional folk music.


And I think what we are actually arguing about is whether a festival that excludes performers that actually perform traditional music and who do not write their own material should be labeled "folk" -- and I definitely agree with Don Firth; to call it folk is mislabeling and very much open to misinterpretation. I'm a firm believer in using language as precisely and clearly as possible. That's the point of communication. And if you lose words and nuances, the language is poorer for it.

Just my additional four cents' worth (inflation).

Linn""

Yes Linn, I too have a love of precise English, to the extent that Star Trek, with its split infinitive (to boldly go) drives me to spitting, spluttering fury.

Everyone on this forum who has been involved in this "What is folk music" argument knows that Richard Bridge and myself have repeatedly clashed on this subject.

Richard's views on "snigger snogwriters" is well documented.

I was today involved in a competition at the Rochester Sweeps Festival, called "Folkfactor", at which Richard was one of three judges.

I sang a song which I had composed nearly forty years ago, and the critique from Richard was well thoght out, fair, and cogent, as well as positive. Would that all here could suspend personal bias as well as this.

If you want the actual content, ask Richard what he said. Suffice to say that I felt I had been treated with the utmost fairness, and this from a man with the reputation of being a diehard traddy.

And NO! I didn't win. Truth to tell, I didn't deserve to. I WAS good, but others were better.

I'll think twice before challenging his views again.

Folk is pretty much what we perceive it to be, but traditional doesn't always mean hidebound.

Having said that, I would be very unlikely to attend any event which actively excluded either traditional, or contemporary music.

Don T.