Shula: as often happens on the Mudcat, you just knocked my socks off! You've gotta write a song or two, & LOTS more stories.. abt yer gampop.

We were all "warmed by fires we did not build;" I had a great-aunt who mostly raised me &, tho perhaps subtler, affected me much as yer gampop did you. My wife had the same in her grandma.

There are the singers of the heart, of our personal worlds, like the folks above, who bless us more than we sometimes realize, (esp while it's happening), and there are the folks we go to hear perform, or sometimes are lucky enough to sing alondside of, & I would not want to do w/out either. Luck lady! You had the best of both in one person...

As for the response to the title of the thread: Hard to decide on favorites when my hard drive has only 11 gig or so to store the names in ascii, & I dont have several years to type, & they change w/the wind, & the list continues expanding.

I know a lot of the names mentioned above & agree w/every name I know (& will trust the 'catters for those I don't know). I still love to listen to Ian & Sylvia - often Northern Journey - & my other old favorites, mostly listed above.. Will just mention a few names that I didn't notice in this long thread, then shut down; sweetie just said she's not feelin' well & it's late...

Joe & eddie - fabulous

The Furies, esp doing Eric Bogle songs - or "the Old Man," & esp when Davie Arthur was with them

Steel Eye Span, esp Maddy Prior's wonderful leads, Wow!

Stan's "little" 6'4" or 5" brother, Garnett Rogers - a superb player & rich voiced singer, who writes w/an artists eye for subtlties & for relationships - & loves, & raises horses w/his wife.

The list really could go on & on... Gotta go

Cheers, BK