Hi

well I am 22 and am now a full time Folk musician and there lots going on.

I really think you need to look at the bigger picture, I think folk music is far more popular than people realise.

I only need to say 'O Brother' and that soundtrack is brimming with traditional american folk artists and songs, with 2 million copies sold, well, its not unpopular.

Then theres River Dance - ok so not trad tunes but the players certainly were lifted from the folk circuit and it was based on tradition.

Then theres Natalie MacMaster who has a huge following along with La Bottine in Canada.

Folk music has so many faces to it that there will be some aspects of it poeple hate ,other aspects they may really enjoy.

With any music the media finds something it can make fun of it and in ENGLISH folk music that thing is morris dancing.

And you say age is a misconception, if any music respected its older audience it would be folk music after all with out them who would the younger generations get there songs and tunes from? They are an integral part, infact just as important as the person learning the tune. So this could be seen as a positive thing.

folk music today is a different kind of music. It is folk music on an international scale, one without the boundarys that our parents had. It is so versatile that if ever there was a music to appeal to the masses it would now. Having said that to a 'Good' does not mean you have to have a big or young audience, does it?

I have rambled but I hope I have made some good points.

Cheers, sam