So, when did traditional music stop being created? What was the last traditional song? There are very few communities that are stable enough to sustain a tradition any more, and if they do, they're much more likely to carry on a song like Country Roads than Omie Wise. I mean, Toots and the Maytals do a dandy version of Country Roads, transforming the location to Jamaica. Does this mean that all the traditional music has already been "written?" How can any songs become "traditional" if they have to reflect a local community and have been learned and sung for pleasure instead of for (extremely limited) commercial gain? I find it hard to believe that traditional music ceased to be created with the advent of the radio (or CDs, if you want to make it more recent.) I think that traditional music grows out of a tradition. A one sentence definition that works for me. And I think that songs that are currently being written that grow out of a respect and knowledge of traditional music can themselves become "traditional songs." :-)

Jerry