I think part of the problem today is that (as Rick said) as up-and-coming band claims the title "folk" until they can be embraced by the pop world.

Sadly, real folk music gets watered down until people just thing it's boring, light strumming.

I like the new genre of antifolk. The name sounds confusing even though everyone I know playing it sounds more like Woody Guthrie than any of the current crop of "pop-folkies".

Mary