Wrong again, Bert. Those early collectors, for all their faults, had a clear idea of what they were looking for and we have literally thousands of traditional songs available to us, thanks to their efforts. You may have a hard time understanding and accepting this, but much of this music would have been lost without Sharp, Lomax, Randolph, etc. They didn't create it, but they preserved it.

And who is this DT? I'd like to thank him. If you're referring to the Digital Tradition, then you must know that much of the lyrics and tunes contained therein are taken from the collections of early folklorists.

But why let facts get in the way of a snide comment?