Uh . . . Bill D and toadfrog, we're talking about traditional folk music here. Career? Rampant commercialism? Where do I sign up for that?

Bill, you made two statements I would like to get you to clarify a bit more. The first:

"Traditional music always changes as generations change, but when it was part OF a tradition it didn't change nearly so fast or suddenly."

It seems to me that there is still a tradition that traditional music is a part of. Or perhaps there is a tradition again. It's just not the same as the tradition that existed 100 years ago. But young folks still learn the old music from the older folks in their communities. The music still gets acted upon and changed in large and small ways by new players of it. Some folks can read music and some can't, same as always. Some folks do one style all the time and some are eclectic, same as always. Young people try crazy things in everything they do in life, including music, same as always. Most of us now live in cities instead of on farms, and our community can span the globe -- or not, depending on the individual. But the music just keeps going on, somehow.

The second is when you said:

"I know that my attitude IS rather in the minority in these days of rampant commercialism."

You seem to be implying that reverance for the old traditions and commercialism are the only two choices. Is that really what you think? Don't you think there is a way of playing traditional music that isn't based on commercialism but does incorporate experimentation and the conscious introduction of new elements?

John Peekstok