Folk -- no matter how you define it -- is not easy to find on the radio dial. Lack of exposure is one of the reasons a lot of people grow up never actually hearing folk, trad or even more traditional singer-songwriter songs.

I'm constantly amazed when people (of all ages) either wander accidently into our sessions and are enthralled or find themselves in the middle of our annual Portsmouth Maritime Folk Festival -- which is not a captive festival, but performed on the sidewalks and public venues of Portsmouth, NH -- and become fascinated by the melodies, stories being told in the songs, use of the shanties in performing a job. And many seek out more information, buy CDs, search out the music online.

Ranger1 has been writing a weekly blog bringing the music to the gamer community, which is mostly young. They're curious...and want to hear more...when they have a way to be introduced to the music.

A lot of people listen to the music that they do because they honestly don't know what else is available and they haven't had the curiosity or direction to seek out something different.

Linn