Respect for the older singers should be for their contribution in passing on their songs - nothing to do with them being good or bad singers.

The only recordings of Folk Music I listen to for pure and purposeful joy are those of old traditional singers. These people are my heroes. It's more than passing on of songs, greater than the songs themselves; these people are masters of their vernacular craft & deserve respect and reverence as practitioners of an essential component of British Culture. Of course I listen to American ones too; many of the singers on the Max Hunter Folk Song Collection are some of my favourite singers ever.

They are not part of this shit and openly insulting them, as both Muskie and Blandiver have should not be part of these discussions.

You misunderstand me, old man. What I say is these people are only human and we all like a bit of recognition. Since when has the subject / object relationship been that straightforward?