OK - now that I spoke my piece I feel like a crusty old fart peeeing in someone else's Cheerios. Sorry for rant. I am certain these ladies are both beautiful and talented and I wish them no disrespect.

Peter Paul and Mary were the invention of the record marketing "geniuses" - the Monkees too - and they all had some real talent.

You mention Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson above (both of whom were "discovered" and hyped by the record marketing geniuses). Neither are "stars" that interest me, but Aguilera is actually supremely talented. She is a very rare and well developed singer ... again, not the kind of music that I would listen to much but I do have appreciation for the gifts she was born with and the skills she has obviously worked hard to hone. Jessica, on the other hand is a moderately skilled talent. She has developed the "star" qualities that our modern pop world seem to care about - and she has a nice easy, "I don't take myself too seriously" attitude that I find disarming - but she is not an artist of the caliber that would win her a role in the Celtic Woman troupe.

Anyway - since I so crumugeonly spoke up last night, I thought I ought to explain a little further. I am simply more "earthy" in my tastes and don't mean disparage the good will others have for music I don't care about.