What Earl said is something that has bugged the bejesus outta me for ages, people who have never listened to either Mozart or Ellington will nod and say "Oh yeah, geniuses" but they're not expressing an opinion, just aping one. These same people often regard folk music as less valuable because there seems to be an assumption that there is a certain cap, or top level of musicianship which folk musicians are cabable of. It's true that more sophisticated forms of music require a minimum level of skill, you can't do an adequate version of the "Moonlight Sonata" it had better be good or it won't fly. And you can do an adequate rendition of "Old Smokey" but there is no ceiling on artistry just because the music is folk. Too many people don't trust their own response to music. They just wanna give the "right" answer and not be laughed at.

Frank i.t.s.