As a real newbie on the forum it's with some reservations that I get into an area where there are clear and opposing points of view
I was present at an informal session with Sonny Terry and Bownie McGee very many years ago when Brownie was asked if he minded a recorder being plugged in. He beamed and answered along the lines of "what you give to friend is not lost"

Not entirely to the point of this dicussion, but the sentiment that the songs were for sharing surely is

I have just recalled too that my elder daughter, being long gone from home, and town as well, was visiting a new friend in a distant city when she was astounded to hear her dad singing on the friends tape recorder. I certainly hadn't been aware of a taperecorder in the audience that evening long ago (this was a long time before walkmen) but I was tickled that someone should have kept a valueless recording of moi for so long
If anyone else should wish to record me for words or tunes I am humbled by their attention