An earlier contribution made a good point about individuals being important but not essential. Whatever folk is it has lasted because people like it, sing it and play it. In a century of mass communication Guthrie, Lomax, Sharpe, McCall, Seeger, Moore and all those other people have made important contributions.I would like to two anothers because they have shown how much more life and diversity exists in the music. The man who with all his fellow musicians created Fairport Convention, Steeleye Span, The Etchigham Steam Band, various Albion Bands and lots of other projects not least of which the mighty 'Morris On' - Ashley Hutchins, and by the same argument through Planxty, etc. etc. Christie Moore