Growing up in the forties in central California, I heard a lot of "hillbilly," "roots country," "western swing" or simply "country music" on local radio. Many local residents had migrated to the area from the "Dust Bowl" states. Years later, in college, I took a couple of classes in folk music history and tradition, taught by Gene Bluestein and Peter Everwine, both scholars and performers who had worked with the Lomax team earlier.

All of this music has its roots in the Appalachians, much of it from Scottish, Irish and English traditional songs and themes transplanted to the new world and slowly mutated into what we hear today. Of course, gospel music and the African musical and rhythmic influences played a huge part as well. Consider the Blues tradition and all its great performers - Blind Blake, Josh White, Jesse Fuller, et al.

Was Merle Travis folk or country? Both? Ask the same about Jimmy Rodgers, The Carter Family, Lester Flatt and Earl Scruggs or Jimmy Driftwood. The lines are often very hard to draw.