Professionals rise to the top because via their agents and recording backers they dominate all the major stages and most of the radio play.

Doing right by the traditions and music that we are charged with preserving and developing has nothing to do with popularity contests.

While earning a living from folk music is nice it is not necessary. Like an automobile folk music needs maintenance and repair. It does not matter that a mechanic is employed if he cant fix the car or the fixes to the car create damage later.

What is the impact of what professionals generally do upon the tradition. Is it as positive as it could be.

Anyone can go to a library. You dont need to be a pro. Thats the point you dont need specialists.

The reason folk songs are only sung by a handful is that over the last 100 years integration of folk music into the lifeway has declined. Yes that is what this is all about. Less entertainment and elitist perfectionism and more lifeway folk music. Sung and written every day by ordinary folk in increassing numbers.

Conrad