And why knock PPM, I wonder? They were much in the tradition of, e.g., Richard Dyer-Bennett as popularisers of the traditional; & I recall when he was much respected. They didn't wreck their versions with over-production, like some. Their somewhat prettified presentation was not to all tastes ~~ not particularly to mine, for instance. But I do not regard them as contemptible. They knew about the songs they sang. The late, highly revered, Sandy Paton sang with the force of his fine voice in a not dissimilar way. He was as scholarly a folksinger as ever I have met, but never tried to disguise the classic quality of his voice for any factitious 'folky' effect. And was not above compromising with commercial necessities either ~~ I recall his telling me, when I knew him over here 56 years ago, that he had regretfully had to learn that somewhat tiresome "Oh Dr Freud" song so voguish at the time, in order to maintain his cred in the venues where he then performed at home.

~M~