Richie

I think your definition of old-time music is unnecessarily restrictive. 'White, rural, agrarian Southern' covers most bases - certainly more than 'mountain folk music' - but not all. I favour Jeff Todd Titon's approach to blues - and it can be applied to gospel as well and, I suggest, also to old-time - whereby he has a concept of 'downhome' which is an idea, an approach, a style, a spirit rather than something that is found in specific geographical locations. This also gathers in the old-style musicians - blues, gospel, old-time - who were urban rather than rural dwellers.

--Stewie.