Well, if you've learned anything from this, it's that there are as many definitions of "folk" as there are people wanting to offer definitions.

I've argued for my particular point of view pretty often, probably too often. I've seen these "What Is Folk?" thread title pop up over and over again, and often tell myself that I won't even open them up and read them, let alone participate. But sooner or later, I usually yield to temptation and start shooting my big mouth off.

Every time I do so, I seem to learn at least a little something, and/or to develop a little deeper insight. Here's my latest musing:

My usual argument (or "hobbyhorse"), that the "real" folk music of today's world includes a wide variety of well-known stuff not all of which meets most other folks' meanings of "Folk," is based on my idea of the function of folk music ~ i.e., what is the commonly-known music shared among people who play and sing for their own edificaton and amusement, and who are alive today?

Folk music as a label is an entirely different concept. What meaning of "Folk" serves the useful purpose of identifying one style of performance, one binful of recordings, one concert series, one festival, etc., from others? In this context, a much narrower meaning is called for than that of my vision of "what functions as our folk music today."

However, there is some danger, or more preceisely some futility, in arguning for TOO narrow a defintion for the label of "Folk." Labels, indeed words, have no meaning at all beyond whatever meaning is shared by everyone involved.

Some people may wish that the word "folk" would apply only to one tightly restricted category of music ~ the one that they prefer ~ to the exclusion of all others. Unfortunately, widespread agreement on any really definitive meaning is unlikely to ever occur.

We simply have to be satisifed with the status quo, where "folk" has many diverse meanings, but where most of us can perceive the general idea of its meaning in different contexts. We also should be able to recognize circumstances where we won't be sure what meaning is in force.

For example, a given event may be advertised as a "folk concert" or "folk festival." Surely, we should all realize that all different kinds of music may or may not be included when that "magic word" is invoked ~ but, depending upon our knowledge of the context (venue, region, promoter, past history, etc., etc.), we certainly should be able to determine whether the proceedings will be to our individual taste, OR, we should realize that we won't be sure without asking around, doing research, etc.

There is certainly no excuse for showing up for a "folk" event and then protesting that "This isn't folk!" (i.e., "This isn't MY idea of folk!) if you didn't do your homework first.