I think that the very title of this thread illustrates the strong influence of the modern recording industry more than it does any actual required differences between the two.

Go into the current version of the original "record store" or online to find music and everything is arranged by categories that are derived from marketing efforts of the major recording companies to pigeonhole their artists.

Call them folk singers, traditional musicians, entertainers, pop stars the one common thing about them is that they are PEOPLE, not some commodity... despite the efforts of some to turn them into little pieces to fit into some grand picture puzzle. I prefer to regard them as amateur ( by the original intent of the term), semi-professional ( they have a day job) and professional (this IS their day job).

I know one Irish born performer, singer-songwriter who in a house concert shared his tradition of the ceilidh and the next day for his concert, put on his stage personna. I prefer the former style while the hubby was blown away by the latter. He's still the same guy.

If you wanted to find his recordings in the past, you would have to search the International section and then Irish.... now I think he'd be put into the Indie section.

Maybe Dick could shed some light into how CAMSCO handles the issue.