Apparently the folk groups in the 60s had to reinvent English Folk because the tradition had all but died out. In America there is more of a continuous line from Gospel to Blues, via Woody Guthrie to Rock & Roll.
In England we have Uncle Tom Cobbly and then 200 years later, Steeleye Span (with a passing nod to Rambling Sid Rumpo). However, these days, the tradition is well and truly alive, but where? On the terraces - there's nowt more folk then football (use of Northern Dialect to indicate folkiness).
Look at this couplet of genius from Elland Road:
"You are my Kandol, my Tresor Kandol,
You signed from Barnet, on deadline day,
We did not notice that you could score goals,
Until that day at Tranmere away."
In England we have Uncle Tom Cobbly and then 200 years later, Steeleye Span (with a passing nod to Rambling Sid Rumpo). However, these days, the tradition is well and truly alive, but where? On the terraces - there's nowt more folk then football (use of Northern Dialect to indicate folkiness).
Look at this couplet of genius from Elland Road:
"You are my Kandol, my Tresor Kandol,
You signed from Barnet, on deadline day,
We did not notice that you could score goals,
Until that day at Tranmere away."
Comments
It also helps if the piece is performed by some git in a jumper singing with a finger stuck in his ear.
I lived through the '60's and was fortunate(or unlucky) enough to have a teacher who was a folk musician & morris dancer. He said much the same thing but it was more the case of folk music being 'discovered' by enthusiasts and overwriting it. By this I meant that a lot of people who attempted to recreate the folk arts would litterally interperate & rewrite songs they heard or found on songsheets, platters & even wax tubes.
But it does confirm what you say wherein: " ...folk groups in the 60s had to reinvent English Folk".
This possibly explains why I'm not too keen on folk now.
I was at boarding school when I met the 'folky' teacher. He was always trying to get the boys into morris dancing & folk activities and the scouts & camping and stuff like that.
One look at morris dancing & it took a long time for me to trust him. His motives were entirely altruistic but he was very naive. He didn't perceive attempting to get boys into, what were basically, dresses and ritualistically slapping each other as at all suspect:)