"Lizzie, please read what I actually said. I'm not saying that Loreena's music is bad, or not beautiful, and I don't doubt she is a sincere and talented performer. All I have said is that I don't like it much, and given my reasons."

Howard, I did, and I've acknowledged it several times over. You are perfectly at liberty to like or dislike whatever music you so choose. We are all different. I completely understand that and have no problem with it whatsoever. What I get cross about is when various artists are referred to in such derrogatory terms, (NOT by you, Howard) particularly with the emphasis seeming to be that all 'Celtic' music is crap, whereas 'ours' isn't.

There is good and bad in all genres of music.

I could give you a few English folk CDs that I've bought which weren't er...exactly to my liking, but I won't do that, because it would upset the artists concerned and that's not fair. Also, what I may not have liked about those CDs, other may love.

I don't regard her music as 'commercial pop' at all, not in any way whatsoever. For me it's a highly unusual blend of music from around the world, woven together by Loreena herself.

Her fiancee was lost in a sailing accident around 10 years back, they never found him. She closed down for several years, understandably, then sought solace in her music, going on her 'journey', as the Youtube video above talks of. She's a highly spiritual lady, a very private one, and a deeply kind one too, taking the trouble to respond to everyone who writes to her, via her staff, and answering their messages through them. I had written contact with one of her band once, years back...and they were kindness and love personified. I was stunned at how helpful they were, and how genuine too.

No way is Loreena McKennitt's music 'commercial pop' in my book, absolutely no way.   Her music is influenced by the world and by the stories within it, the stories within ourselves.

You cannot simply dismiss all 'Celtic' music as crap. Just as you can't dismiss all 'English Traditional' music as crap. To do so would be highly narrow-minded, biased, bigotted and ignorant, in my opinion. (and Howard, I am not talking about you there, so please don't get upset)