Hi Peterr

There are more examples of traditional folksingers on recordings today than there ever have been due to expansive recording techniques and mastering abilities.

Ya' gotta' hear Folkways Traditional American Folk Music Vol 1-3 edited by Harry Smith. Sandy Paton's record label Folk Legacy has many wonderful examples. A favorite of mine is Horton Barker. Listen to Alan Lomax's extensive field recording on Library Of Congress and other anothologies that he's recorded.

Are there any around today? I think so. Not well known perhaps but you'll have to go out of your way to hear them. Of course we have those that are such as Jean Ritchie. A must hear! Doc Watson also. Stanley Brothers. Many blues artists are still with us. Music from other lands is available abundantly today and many traditional artists are alive and well. When you explore the music, you explore the tradition behind the music and can then learn to identify the traditional folksinger.

There are also a lot of wonderful interpreters of folk songs around today. Many are specialized such as Margaret MacArthur of New England, Tommy Makem of Armagh, Ireland, (although I would classify these two as being so close to the tradition as to be traditional folksingers. David Jones, (Isle of Mann off LIverpool, I think) Cliff Haslim, Louis Killen, and of course countless instrumentalists, fiddle players, banjo pickers, guitar....who are still around today.

Tradition American folk musicians seem to be dying out. At least those we know about. But there may be more. Collectors and scholars of folk music may know of the whereabouts of others who are not so well known. There are those who are more qualified than I am to identify where they are. Hope this answers your question.

Frank Hamilton