The Mudcat Café TM
Thread #119547   Message #2594436
Posted By: Jack Blandiver
22-Mar-09 - 07:19 AM
Thread Name: 1954 and All That - defining folk music
Subject: RE: 1954 and All That - defining folk music
Thanks for My Son David, Dick - a masterful rendition & pretty much as I sing it myself (as learned from Thor Ewing, as learnt from Ewan McColl, as learnt from Jeanie Robertson).

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...if "folk" were more inclusive, would it not draw more listeners and potetential performers who may delve deeper, learn more about its beginnings and keep the traditional stuff alive?

It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of that being the very case, although I doubt if anyone is ever tempted to delve deeper into the traditional stuff. And even if they were, this wouldn't be keeping it alive, because it died the death long ago (for my personal feelings on this see my blog The Liege, the Lief and the Traditional Folk Song, which collects some of my polemical musings from the sadly defunct Harvest Home forum, once affiliated to the sadly defunct Woven Wheat Whispers).

I say again, by defining folk as I have done throughout this thread, I'm not postulating an ideal, rather reflecting on the reality - obviously an uncomfortable reality for many of you, but a reality non the less. Have a listen to Folk On Two, or look to see who's performing at a Folk Festival Near You and see what I mean.

Folk is as it is, and I don't think a half dozen or so whining traddys is going to change that.