Hi Paul. Yes, I realise Wendy's proud of her Scottishness but her songs have a real 'sense of place' in North Yorkshire. This, to my mind, demonstrates the progressive and immediate nature of folk music as opposed (as you so rightly say) to preserving it in aspic.

Look forward to seeing you at Pickering - should be great.

Ruth, as I said, it's the willingness to celebrate Englishness that so many people (not you) seem to find embarrassing. I'm certainly not advocating any form of exclusivity or 'ethnic cleansing', just the preservation of local distinctiveness in a sea of uniformity! Of course it's a personal choice - I want to ensure that we still have the opportunity to make it.