In 1954, a la definition, (in the UK at least) the average Joe (or Joanne) would never dreamed of owning a guitar - let alone playing it and singing in front of people. It wasn't a part of life. Ordinary people writing songs about ordinary life ? it simple wasn't thought about - it was an impossible concept.
Even popular music treated the human voice as an also ran - compared to Instrumental music.
Ordinary people in 1954 didn't even have a record player ,a telephone ,certainly no Tele - they had a piano but any music was a welcome relief after a MASSIVE World War which had finished 9 years previously. They were difficult times - I was 7 years old. The 1954 definition was irrelevant to people in 1954 apart from Academics - Jeez - my Mum and Dad they were trying to keep their bodies and souls together and those nearest to them.
We have moved on, and so have the "Class" (sic) of people who pontificated about such things and kept us mere mortals in their rightful place by dictating to the them how they should understand such music.
The 1954 definition may have been accurate in 1954 and fair play to them for their academic study, but , they were not to know, how ,the world of the common man's music would change.
Change it has, and the definition of our music needs to change with it, and, I suppose we need start calling it something like "Acoustic Roots" (music) because an awful lot of people get turned off immediately by the term "Folk Music".
Oh yeh - I'm going to an Acoustic Roots night - fancy it?
I'm going to a Folk music night - fancy it ?- forget it
I can accept any different variations of my suggestion, but what I have written , rolls in a load of other threads e.g. Clubs dying etc .
We need to modernise - to give the younger people ,and the middle aged Joe /Joannes who are looking for live music , a social evening, a label that isn't going to instantly frighten them away.
The 1954 definition in 2009 - chokes me - give it a break.