Murray, I just don't know where you get that. Since when does "open strings" equal "folk" and vice versa? I can't see any rationale for that, especially considering the number of guitar-playing source singers (those who grew up with the stuff and didn't know they were playing "folk music" until someone told them) who have no qualms about using barre chords and use them freely.

If you don't want to use barre chords, okay, but why make a religion of it?

Don Firth