I've noticed a good deal of confusion about what is "folk" music and what is "pop" music around here. For instance, both Billy Joel and Joni Mitchell have been given threads in the "folk" forum, and neither artist is generally considered "folk music" (except that Joni Mitchell's earliest records can be termed as folk-influenced).

Folk music, in its original definition, is generally not written by the people who sing it...in fact, folksongs were called such mainly because no one really knew who wrote them. They were songs that circulated in cultures before copyright protection was established.

Of course, many of the popular "folksingers" of the late 40s through early 60s began writing (and copyrighting) their own songs, which effectively began the collapse of the "folk era". From there, the genre slowly evolved into what was called the "singer/songwriter" movement by the early 70s. It was this movement in which Joni Mitchell, James Taylor (generally regarded as the "singer/songwriter" genre's virtual "inventors") and others achieved their successes.

At least, this is my understanding of things. I'd be very interested in knowing how others around here are defining "folk music". Any comments?

I always thought that it was folk if somebody was sitting down while they played, or if I had to bring a sleeping bag.....
Just kidding!

well the meaning of "Folk" has changed in the years as do much of the other genres of music...I would say the blues and possibly classical are basically the same as they have been for years...with experimentation in rock, electronic, jazz, metal, and any other form you create new subgenres which in turn, changes the way people look at that type of style...but that's just my opinion...I do agree with your definition of folk being a singer singing a song that's generally not written by him, but something that's possibly a legend, handed down for years.

the song "Barbara ann" is a good example of this

here in Europe folk can also be seen as a sort of traditional music with traditional instruments like bagpipes for example, maybe singing in a mediaeval language. I'm quite into flemish and scandinavian folk.
but Bob Dylan's great too!

Well, give me examples of flemish folk!!

Laïs is probably the best known. but Kadril, Troissoeur, Jaune Toujours, Olla Vogalla are also very good

Yes everybody know Laïs in Belgium; I know the other one's too, you've got a good taste

thanks

I think that folk music in its modern terminology now just applies to music which has kept some traditional elements.

For example, bob dylan kept the singer/songwriter orientation for much if not all of his early career (in the sence that he wrote his own songs). He also used traditional instruments for the portion of his work which is actually considered folk: his folk-rock stuff with electric guitars is considered folk-rock, but probably just rock if you forgot dylan's name on the label.

If you considered a new artist folk they would probably keep traditions like and similar to this. If they use synths etc. they may be called electronic, if they used heavy metal instruments they would be heavy metal, I suppose. The point I'm trying to make (and I'm a little drunk here so bear with me) is that modern music rarely keeps to any of the old-fashioned idiosyncracies. Those that do are regarded as folk. jazz and blues etc. are exceptions but they are pretty new genres when compared with african music or jigg etc.

Hi, I'm back everyone BTW!

I'm not completely sure, but I guess he also covered some old blues and folk songs