Having played Lincoln Center at one time, I think that it'd be hard to find any folk musician that would be really comfortable there. The first thing that hit me when I marched onstage was being blinded by the gleaming gold balconies. It seemed incongrous to sing folk songs there.

I think the solution is to give Wynton Marsalis a beat up Martin, a pair of jeans with patches on it, grow his hair longer and have him do a Child Ballad accapella. Then watch the grants roll in.

Leadbelly admired Richard Dyer-Bennett. For that matter, Satchmo admired Guy Lombardo.

I'm not sure that real folk music belongs on the concert stage. Even Pete Seeger might agree with that I think. He always asked people to consider lullabyes as folk music. Try rocking your child to sleep onstage in Lincoln Center.

I don't think you can educate the public about folk music the same way you can about jazz (If you can do that the way Wynton Marsalis is attempting to do.) Here's the problem. Jazz has stars. Folk music in it's essence is anti-star. It's folks. The best way is to forget a central figure to be a catalyst for this kind of music. The best education is when all kinds of people own the music and are a part of it as a natural heritage or national endowment. Then it becomes alive. Anybody remember the "Hootenanny Show" on TV with the famous folklorist Jack Linkletter?

Frank Hamilton