Folk Rock was the bees knees at one time - there was even a book about it.
Recently there has been a revisiting, but I have little doubt it will be short lived.
One of the major steps in de-democratising folk song, which is basically a non-accompanied art for, is by loading it up with expensive electronic hardware - put it ot of reach of many would-be performers and would not be tolerated in most of the venues that housed folk clubs, even if there was space for them - no publican wants ear-splitting noise blasting though his ceiling..
Folk rock says exactly what it is - a giant stride towards taking the music out of our hands and giving to back to the Music Industry.
"I've not been contemptuous, or insulting"
No you haben't, but you've certainly managed to be patronising - that's why I mentioned it - I accepted your apology, but it's still been part of the attitude expressed in much of this discussion from elsewhere.
"folk/rock style are somehow debasing the tradition"
The once again you misunderstand what I am saying - it is not a matter of debasing anything - it's a matter of it making folk song meaningless.
Our folk songs are based on understanding words and following narrative line (plots)
Folk rock does something else to it entirely
"This includes a wide umbrella of folk music".
You have et to say how ide that umbrella is and how it fits into any definition.
You either haven't understood or are delberately distorting my arguments by suggesting that I am demanding an adherence to '54.
I don't, I ner have and I never will - certainly not as far as clubs are concerned.
Jim Carroll