Hey everybody... I registered today, and I look forward to getting to know everybody here. I've been heavily into traditional balladry for the last year or so, ever since I heard a Buffy Sainte-Marie recording of "Lady Margaret and Sweet William" that ingrained itself into my brain. I quickly fell in love with more Scottish and British ballads, with everything from the imagery and the turns of phrase and the stories themselves. (When my friends go see Fallout Boy or the Jonas Brothers or some other monstrosity in concert, I tend to sulk at home wishing A.L. Lloyd or Ewan MacColl were still alive.)

Anyway, this isn't really an "I'm new. OMG I love folk music" thread. I shelled out the money for Child's five volumes a few months ago (best investment ever) and love poring through them. Unfortunately, a lot of his text introductions are a bit short on history and background, and I was wondering what other works or journals are out there. How much material has been actually published about this kind of stuff? Links or titles or authors or anything would be really appreciated.

Another question I have is about how exhausted the field of study is. I assume that field collecting is nonexistent these days, or at least lost much of its purity due to loss of isolation, but I really don't know. Can somebody actually making a living studying folk music? Additionally, I'm applying to colleges in the fall (eek) and the more I think about it, the more I'd really like to study traditional music in a classroom setting. Are there any (American) schools where big experts in the field (if there are any?) are teaching? Again, any pointers or recommendations would be appreciated.

-- Charles