Re: Today, songs need to be written about the oppression and torture of Guantanamo, the needless deaths of military service people, the robbing of the American public by greedy corporate interests, the stealing of elections, and the oppression of the fundamentalist religious. Not all songs need to be about these issues but there is not an abundance of good material today coming out.

I beg to differ. There certainly is an abundance of such good material coming out today. Wonderful material, in fact. Have you ever heard the songs of David Rovics? Or of Sue Jeffers? Evan Greer? Pat Humphries and Sandy Opatow? Holly Near? Kristen Lems? Joel Landy? Ethan Miller and Kate Boverman? Patricia Shih? Luci Murphy? Joe Jencks? Anne Feeney? Ruth Pelham? Judy Gorman? Charlie King? Dean Stevens? Jay Mankita? Tom Nielson? Bev Grant? Jon Fromer? Spook Handy? Or our own Mudcatter Lorcan Otway?

If not, it's because most of them have been given short shrift by many folk music clubs, societies, and festivals. They struggle to be heard, not because of lack of talent, but because what they have to say hits very hard, apparently too hard for booking committees who wax ecstatic over the battles of 50, 60, or 100 years ago, by who shy away from any controversy today.

Enough said. Go and listen to some of the singers I mentioned and you will understand what I mean.

--- Steve