I'm a bit of a pessimist, and I don't think the human race will make it to 2100 BUT just in case we do " who will keep the folk songs alive". Here in the England people - including many politicians - get very upset if they feel we're having to give up parts of our English heritage because of some faceless European bureaucracy BUT nobody at the top seems interested in investing in our folksong heritage. That observation is only part of the problem of who will care for and hand on our most treasured songs. It may be different in the States but over here well ... the average age of people singing traditional songs is now probably over 50 , and the folkclub scene that gave voice to those songs is on its knees. 5 more years should see them down and out. Where will the songs live then? On cds gathering dust? In books being pulped at libraries? Will the colleges and univerities keep the folksong alive? In Scotland and Ireland mayb, but in England? And unless there's a dime to be made, record companies will be relucant to reissue classic recordings for future generations.