At some point a movie will be made about folksingers and what a wonderful, spiritual, giving, altruistic, narcissistic, fantastic, ....et al world it is. The stars will be handsome and earthy with depth of feeling and a quixotic nature and they'll have names like Maeve or Bronwyn or Nathan or Owen or Xian or Bors. And they'll play really trad instruments except for the sean nos singing chick who'll be the break out star. The sound track will be by obscure but very talented groups from Shetland and Calgary and Lake Baikal or Kamchatka. It will be nominated for 7 Oscars including best song, Rattlesnake Mountain or the recent European hit, Mange La Porta.

And then for awhile folk music will be so popular that little kids from Arizona will be singing real folk songs in languages they don't understand because the tune is catchy. GM will be using Car Car for an advert and the Guthrie Family will suddenly be richer than Davy Crockett. Arlo will record I Don't Want Your Millions Mister and because Arlo is Arlo he will give it away.

And goddamn it will be hot for awhile and everyone will have hootenany parties. And Lowden guitars will start selling instruments in America. Executives will be heard playing harmonicas in their offices. And all those Johnny Come Latelies will be ranting on about discovering that previously unknown artist Kendall Morse, a treal sea captain.

A we can all be sitting here smug as Born Again Christian vegetarians and say "We knew all about it first."

Don