This is a darned GOOD thread! It asks a good question ... for which there is no, one, simple answer. To some, the only true folksongs were written by "Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous." A few years ago, in the antique business, the lawful definition of an "antique" meant it qualified as at least 100 years old ... true! I agree that with Bob Dylan came the populiar use of the term "folksinger". So, is Woody Guthrie a folksinger? Again, darned good question. He certainly was whenever he sang traditional ballads and songs. So what do we consider him when he takes a traditional melody and writes new verses to it ...The Ballad of Tom Joad ... for example. At that point, to me, he is not folksinger, but a fine singer in the tradition of folksongs. We all remember Pete Seegers famous definition ... folksongs are songs sung by folks. Maybe that's as close as we need to look. And yet, I also, have always been bothered by the loose term "folksinger." CHEERS, Bob(deckman)Nelson